Ripple Effect: 101 The Halliwell Death Trap
by StoryGirl83
Summary: A moment of relaxation leads to tragedy for the Winchesters brothers. Grief stricken the remaining brother only wants his brother back, but stories of a killer house teams him up with what is left of the Halliwell family. Are their families lost forever?
1. The Sky Is Falling

This story is a crossover between Supernatural and Charmed. It takes place about six and a half years after Charmed ended and about two and a half years after the current season of Supernatural. Be advised that I have seen approximately half an episode of Supernatural post season four and therefore am unaware of the events of season five. I have also only seen about half of season seven of Charmed, but I have a pretty good idea of what happened in it.

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The Halliwell Death Trap

Fall 2012 - San Francisco

Everything had been just fine when Sam Winchester went to sleep the night before, or as fine as things could be in the world he and his older brother, Dean, lived in. They had spent a late night watching horror flicks on the motel TV. For once they had nowhere to be in the morning and they had decided to just enjoy it.

It was the sound of the roof falling that woke Sam. He rolled off his bed onto the floor less than a second before the timber that had been the roof covered his bed. Demons he could manage, falling roofs where not his usual repertoire, so he scrambled under the bed and waited, hoping that the bed wasn't going to cave in, too. He lay still until he was absolutely sure that nothing else was coming down. Then, he crawled out from under his bed and shoved the debris away. It took him nearly a minute to get out from under that bed. Once he was able to stand he looked over at Dean's bed. A piece of the roof had staked the bed right through the middle. Thankfully, Dean wasn't on it.

"Any idea what just happened, Dean?" Sam shoved debris away as he tried to get a good look around the room. With no response from Dean, he grew a little worried. Still, there was no sign of Dean, so his brother had probably gone out for a snack or something.

He made his way to the door and started digging a path around it, so he could pull it open. It took a couple minutes, but soon the door was opened. Seeing the hallway, he glanced wryly at the sky above and wondered if it would have been faster to climb out. The remains of the ceiling blocked the path down the hall. With a scowl he began the journey down the hall. He made it within visual range of the snack vendor and looked around. The machine had fallen down and sticking out from it he could see a leg.

Sam gulped and as best he could with all the debris he started running. "Dean!" _Not Dean. Please don't let it be Dean_. He tried to pick up the vending machine, but it didn't even budge. There had to be a way to get that thing up. What if someone was alive under it? Sam pushed away debris and got down on the ground so he could get a good look and his heart caught in his throat.

His brother looked at him from unseeing eyes. "No, Dean. No!" He started shaking. "No! Why now? After all the things we have survived." His body started shaking uncontrollably at sobs wracked his body. "No. no. no!"

He couldn't bury his brother. Not again. There had to be a way to change this, to fix it, to reverse it.

"Dean!"

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If I get a review, the I will update this as soon as I can. Otherwise, I will update this in aproximately one week. I have been enjoying writing this story for the last week or so and hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I have been enjoying writing it. I have some choices yet to be made for near the end of the story and if you'd like to have a say in the outcome, comment or PM me when I ask questions. I will let you know if it is a question that hasn't been decided yet.

For now, Sam's in a bad spot with what happened here and all he wants is his brother back.


	2. San Francisco PD

First, thank you to my reviewer:

Atlan2007 - Hey, it's good to see you reading one of my stories, again. I hope you enjoy this one. It will definitely have more Charmed then Supernatural, though it will have definite elements of both. Due to the nature of the story, I cannot say how much the Charmed Ones will be involved without revealing too many secrets about the story. I will say that this story acts as if something went wrong after the battle with Zankou at the end of season seven. And I will say that Piper's boys, aged to where they would be in 2012, are the first characters from Charmed to show up in this story. Beyond that, I will have to decline to say who will show up and when. I hope that you enjoy the story.

This next scene takes place two days after the colapse of the motel and Dean's death. Sam is not willing to accept that as final, but as it turns out he was the only one to survive what happened and the police want to talk to him. In this chapter there is a man whose name is familar to Charmed fans, but who was never actually on Charmed.

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Two days later Sam sat in the police department waiting for the police chief to talk. There had been no other survivors and everyone seemed to think it was a miracle that Sam had walked away without much more than a few scratches. Sam no longer cared. Dean was dead and the longer they kept him here, the less likely he was going to find a way to bring his brother back to life. Last time Cas had brought him back, but there was no sign of Cas, hadn't been for months.

A man in civilian clothing entered the room and walked up to the chief's desk. "I thought you might want to take a look at this, Edwards."

Chief Edwards picked up the paper and frowned at it. He sighed and nodded. "I see. I thought you were done with this type of thing when you son died back in '99, Trudeau."

"Trudeau" shrugged. "I wasn't looking for this. It found me. Who's the boy?"

"You know the motel that collapsed two days ago?"

Trudeau nodded. "It has been all over the news. What about it?"

"This guy is the sole survivor."

Trudeau looked at him surprised. "Really? I thought the news said no one survived."

Chief Edwards nodded. "We thought that at first, but we found him next to a fallen vending machine. The machine had crushed his brother."

Sam felt the urge to be anywhere but here. He gripped the sides of the chair he was in so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

Trudeau looked at him. "I'm sorry about your brother."

Sam nodded. This man didn't have anything to do with Dean's death, but the longer he stayed here, the longer he was going to have to wait to do something and Sam desperately needed to do something.

Trudeau turned back to Chief Edwards. "I know you don't like this kind of thing, but I don't know who to turn to about this. It's like the minute those girls died, the house became a death trap."

"Isn't this the house where Andy's girlfriend lived?"

Trudeau nodded. "And another person is dead because they tried to get in. Edwards, you have to keep people out of there."

"Maybe we should just finish blowing it up. The explosion that killed the sisters left the house unstable."

"Is that how you are explaining the death of every member of the swat team that tried to enter that building afterward?" Trudeau asked, sarcastically. "Edwards, think! This is not to be taken lightly. That house is not going to let you blow it up any more than it's letting anyone inside it."

Sam frowned. This was starting to sound very supernatural. Maybe he and Dean . . . but Dean was dead. Unless he could do something about it, he and Dean were never going to do anything together, again.

"Post signs, build fences," Trudeau pleaded, "but don't let anyone near that building. People are dying out of curiosity."

Sam groaned. Dean was going to have to wait. He had to look into this before more people died.

At the sound the two men looked at Sam as if they had both forgotten he was there.

Sam gave them a blatantly fake smile. He needed a look at that paper.

Trudeau took the paper back and stuffed it into his pocket. "Just don't let people go in, Edwards."

On second thought, how hard could it possibly be to find out where to find a house that was killing people? These things had a way of standing out.

* * *

For this story, I decided that Andy wasn't the only one in his family with an interest in the supernatural. Using his dad here seemed the best way to deal with this scene. Now, Sam has something to do becides worry about what to do about Dean and he's about to run straight into a huge problem the Halliwell family is having. Again, if I get a review I will review as soon as I can, but if I don't I will update in aproximately a week. Hope you enjoy the story.


	3. The Other Brothers

No reviews this time, so I am going to just post this next chapter.

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Chapter Two - The Other Brothers

It took another hour to convince the chief that Sam knew nothing more than he had already told them. The fact that he really had no idea of what happened helped quite a bit, but it frustrated him to no end. As he had expected it had taken only a few minutes to find a house that fit the description of Trudeau's death trap. The hard part had been finding it. Unfamiliar with the layout of the city he'd gotten lost twice.

Now, he parked Dean's Impala along the curb and climbed out of the car. He stared up at the imposing house. In its prime it had probably been a beautiful house, but the door hung by its hinges. Shutters were missing and so were pieces of the roof. According to what he had been told there had been an explosion in 2006 that had resulted in the deaths of the three sisters who had lived there along with the husband of one of the sisters and a police inspector. The house had been inherited by the married sister's two sons now nine and eight and taxes were paid for by the father of the three sister who was also guardian of the two brothers.

"I wouldn't if I were you," a voice warned him from behind.

Sam turned around and saw two boys standing there. It was hard to be sure which boy was older, but it he had to guess he'd go with the blond one. "Well, you aren't me now are you?"

"Do you really want to die?" the brown haired boy asked. Apparently the blond had spoken first, for the voice was different.

"What makes you so sure I'm going to?" Sam returned.

The two boys looked at each other. They couldn't be more than ten, but their eyes looked like they had seen a world of sorrow. It made him think of him and Dean. He couldn't keep the pain off his face and the two boys looked at him startled. "What happened?"

Sam shook his head. He wasn't going to let some pint sized doom-sayers deter him, even if they did make him think of his brother . . . probably because they made him think of his brother. "You know what, I don't really care. I've faced death before." He headed up the steps toward the front door.

Behind him the boys looked at each other. The older, for the blond was older, nodded at his younger brother and started running. The younger brother looked around and held out his hand.

Sam felt himself stop. His muscles quit working and he couldn't move, not even to blink.

The older boy stopped in front of him and gave him a look. "You can't go in there."

Had Sam been able to, he would have scowled. There was more to this kid than met the eye.

"I think he'll listen now," the older boy decided. "You can let him go, Chris."

Sam felt control return to him body and he spun around to stare at the boy behind him. This "Chris" was the one stopping him? "Who are you guys?"

Chris joined his brother in front of Sam and grinned. "You're trespassing, you know."

Sam frowned. "I asked who you are."

The older boy shrugged. "Does it really matter? As he said, you are trespassing and it is far too dangerous for you to go in there."

"And that is exactly why I must go in there," Sam insisted. "Too many people have died and it has to stop."

The two brothers looked at each other. Chris crossed his arms in front of him and shook his head. His brother heaved a sigh and turned to look at Sam. "I'm Wyatt Halliwell and this is my brother, Chris. This is our house and if there was a way to fix this, we would have already done it."

Sam looked at them in surprise. These were the two boys who had inherited this house? "You shouldn't even be trying. You are too . . ." He was stopped from finishing by a hand raised by Chris. He felt the control leave his body and return almost instantly.

"Don't say that," Chris insisted. "We can take care of ourselves."

Considering how soundly they seemed to be taking care of him, he really shouldn't doubt them, but somehow he still did. "But can you go inside?"

Both brothers shook their heads quickly. "No one's been inside in years," Wyatt was quick to inform him. Anyone who tries dies."

"But how do they die?" Sam wanted to know. He was going to find a way to stop this house from killing people or he was going to die trying. And most likely he had stumbled on the best source of information he was going to get.

The two brothers frowned at each other. "We should take him to Grandpas," Wyatt suggested after several seconds of silence.

"Do you think we can trust him?" Chris asked, glancing at Sam. "We don't know him."

Wyatt sighed. "I'm not sure. There is something about him that bothers me, but I think . . . I think he's here to help." Wyatt sighed. "We need to get in there, Chris."

Sam looked at them surprised. They wanted to get in?

Chris looked toward the door. Looking back at his brother, he nodded. "Okay."

Wyatt turned to look at Sam. "Will you come with us?"

"Will you let me try going in if I do?"

"And have your death on our hands?" Wyatt asked in disbelief.

"I absolve you of whatever happens to me," Sam informed him. "I'm used to being responsible for my own actions, even ones that can or do lead to my death or the . . ." Sam scowled. He was not bringing Dean into this conversation. "Look, I intend to either put a stop to this haunted house killing people and maybe find a way to save my brother or I am going to die trying and join my brother."

"Your brother?" Wyatt asked, looking at him concerned.

Sam nodded. "He's dead."

Wyatt stared at him startled. "You expect to save your dead brother? Want to save my dead parents while you're at it," he suggested sarcastically.

"If I can," Sam agreed. It wasn't that he thought he could. From what he'd learned, their parents had been dead for over six years. When Cas had brought Dean back after he'd been dead for four months that had been amazing. To bring someone back after six years seemed impossible. He wasn't even sure he could bring Dean back after two days, but he was going to try, because life without his brother was something he never wanted to face again.

"We'll let you help us," Wyatt decided. "Right, Chris?"

Chris nodded, his manner far too old for an eight-year-old.

Sam sighed. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to work with a couple of too old preteens, even if he had once been one. "I'm coming. Want me to drive you there?"

The two brothers looked at each other and shook their heads. "We'll meet you there," Wyatt assured him. "We have our own ways of getting there."

"And I'm supposed to find it how?"

"I'll give you directions of course."

"I got lost twice coming here," Sam informed him, annoyed. "Either you trust me and will give me directions from the passenger seat of my brother's car or we part ways here and now."

The brothers looked at each other, again. They started discussing it, just too low for Sam to catch what they were saying.

"He seems to think he knows what he's doing," Chris commented. "Maybe he does."

"There's still something about him that bothers me," Wyatt insisted.

"The guy just lost his brother," Chris offered. "I'd be lost if I didn't have you."

"Who's to say he isn't laying?" Wyatt threw out.

"And what if he's not?" Chris threw back. "What if he really can help us? And what if Mom, Dad, and our aunts are still alive in there?"

"Impossible," Wyatt refuted. "If they were alive, I'd know."

"And if they were dead, Grams would know," Chris returned. "Come on. You know she's as confused about that as we are, but she's quite insistent that they aren't dead, which means they are alive somewhere. And this is the only place we can't check."

"Not exactly," Wyatt returned. "There's an entire down there that we can't check."

"What demon in its right mind is going to keep the Charmed Ones alive, if they have them overpowered?" Chris demanded to know. "And what demon in its right mind isn't going to brag about taking them down, if one really did. No, they aren't down there. That leaves in there." He pointed a thin arm in the direction of the manor. "Tell me you don't want to know."

"You know I do," Wyatt returned. "But I have to be practical. They very well could be dead. If they are stuck in there, then what's keeping them in there?"

"I don't know," Chris admitted, "but we aren't going to find out on the front step."

Wyatt sighed and turned around to look at Sam. "We'll ride with you."

* * *

Sam is on his own without his brother and he doesn't know it, but he's about to be introduced into the world of good magical witches, a foreign concept to his mind.

If you want to find out what happens next, post a reivew. Otherwise I will post when I think about it. I am nearly finished with writing the story.


	4. Meeting the Family

No reviews this time, but I did get someone watching this story, so I am going to just post this next chapter. Hope everyone reading this enjoys.

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Chapter Three - Meeting the Family

It amused Sam to no end that even with two natives in the car, they got lost more than once. He wasn't sure exactly why that was, other than the obvious fact that neither one did any driving, but from their squabbling in the back seat he got the impression that neither one rode in too many cars. They clearly weren't walking, or they would know the streets better, but he had had no idea how they got from place to place.

They had him pull up to an apartment complex and lead him to an apartment where they stopped. Chris scrutinized the door with a wrinkled nose and a frown on his lips. Wyatt stood there for a moment and knocked. "Maybe Grandpa's home," he suggested with a shrug.

A few seconds passed before they heard the sound of footsteps and then the footsteps stopped. There was silence, probably as someone looked out the peephole and then Sam heard the sound of a chain being removed. The door opened and the two boys grinned up at the grey haired man.

"Grandpa, we brought a guest," Chris informed the man.

"We hope you don't mind," Wyatt added. "We found him over by the manor and we couldn't let him go in. Someone else died this morning."

The man sighed and pulled the door opened. He waited as they all three entered the apartment before he closed the door behind them and put the chain back in place. He looked at Sam, suspiciously. "I'm Victor Bennett. Who are you?"

"Sam . . . Winchester," Sam informed him, deciding to use his own name for once. He didn't know exactly what to expect, but he had a distinct feeling lying to these people would be detrimental to his health.

Victor raised an eyebrow at the hesitation. "And why did my grandsons bring you home?"

"You know I've been trying to figure that out for myself," Sam admitted. "I think maybe it's because I refused to leave that house alone until I at least tried to stop it from killing people."

Victor's eyes narrowed. "You realize houses don't kill."

Sam just smiled at him. "Maybe houses don't, but the way I'm hearing it something is killing people there. "I intend to stop it. Your family can help me out, or that can stay out of my way."

"Grandpa, we've already agreed to work with him," Wyatt informed his grandpa.

Victor shook his head. "No. Absolutely not. I've already lost my daughters to this madness. I will not lose you two."

"It's not your choice, Grandpa," Wyatt informed him. "We are going to do this."

"I am your guardian, Wyatt," Victor reminded him. "I should have Piper bind your powers before they went into that last battle."

Sam's eyes grew wide as he processed the words while the two brothers groaned. Of course they had powers. Hadn't Chris used those powers on him? But where had they gotten those powers. His were a combination of innate psychic sensitivity mixed with demon blood.

"Grandpa!" Chris cried out. "He doesn't know about that."

"You think not?" Sam queried. "After what you did to me? I think I've got some inkling. Look, are you willing to help me? Because every time I think you are, you just keep changing on me."

Wyatt sighed and nodded. "Have a seat," he suggested indicating a nearby couch. "If you really want to help your going to need to hear what happened."

* * *

The next chapter has a flashback from "Something Wicca This Way Goes" with Piper, Phoebe, and Paige and a made up flashback from the same story line with Leo.

I certainly hope for reviews, but I guess for the moment as long as you are reading I will post a new chapter. So instead of putting a review request, I am going to put a minimum veiw. When I have fifty views for this chapter I will post the next one. Of course I'll notice a review sooner, so if you want me to post another chapter sooner than that, review.


	5. When Mommy Said 'Good Bye'

First a thank you to my reviewer:

vrb18 - Thank you for the compliment. I can't say that I know what other crossovers are like. I've only read a couple. But it often good when you aren't like all the others, so thank you. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. I meant to get this up as soon as I saw your review, but unfortunately I had some issues, mostly with the internet, so I have to settle for the day after. I hope you enjoy.

This chapter has a couple of flashbacks in it. The first is from "Something Wicca This Way Goes". The other takes place during the time of that episode.

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Chapter Four - When Mommy Said "Good-Bye"

_Paige Matthews was sitting on the floor holding baby Chris while nearby little Wyatt played with his toys. Piper Halliwell and Phoebe Halliwell walked in from saying good-bye to their dad._

_"Hey," Piper greeted._

_"Hey," Paige returned as she looked up. "How'd it go?"_

_Piper smiled down at Wyatt, so Phoebe answered, "As well as can be expected."_

_"You know we're doing the right thing," Paige reminded her._

_"I hope so," Piper replied, not sounded quite so confident as her sister. She knelt down in front of Wyatt. "Hey, baby, can I see you for two seconds?" she asked as she moved his fire truck out of the way. "Come here, come here. Just two seconds. Come here. Come here." She helps him stand up on her knees. "Listen . . . I want you to know that mommy will always be close, okay? I will always be with you."_

_Wyatt played with the zipper teeth on either side of his jacket._

_" Okay, give me a hug. Quick, quick, quick." Piper hugged Wyatt, causing Paige to cry as she watched._

_Phoebe's face was stoic._

_"I love you so much," Piper told her son._

_"We have to go, you guys," Phoebe reminded them._

_"Okay," Piper sighed. "Be a good boy," she told Wyatt as she set him down. She turned to Chris and held out her hands. "Baby, come here." She took Chris from Paige. "Be a good boy for Grandpa, okay?" she requested, running her fingers gently across his cheek. "Please, sweet baby?" She hugged him tight and sighed. "Okay," she said quietly, her voice filled with emotion as she stood and carried Chris over to the crib._

_Paige stood up, placing a hand on Wyatt's head for a moment before she walked over to where Phoebe was standing in the doorway._

_Piper put Chris down in the crib and with a sad last look she went to stand next to Paige and Phoebe. "Let's get this over with."_

_Paige took her sisters hands and orbed out._

_Wyatt watched them disappear in silence._

* * *

_Sometime later Leo Wyatt called._

_"Hi, Daddy," Wyatt called out as he answered the phone._

_"Hi, Wyatt," Leo replied. "Can you get Grandpa for me?"_

_"Okay," Wyatt replied in a bright voice. He set down the phone next to its cradle and ran across the room. "Grandpa! Daddy's on the phone."_

_Victor entered the room with Wyatt on his tail and quickly grabbed up the phone. "Leo, is everyone all right?"_

_"I don't know," Leo admitted. "I'm worried. I think something went wrong. They were supposed to confront Zankou at magic school, but I heard that there was an explosion on Prescott Street. I'm about a block from the Manor, but there is a crowd. I can't see the Manor very well from here, but the crowd does seem to be centered around it. There's Darryl. I've got to go."_

* * *

"That was the last we heard from him," Wyatt informed Sam. "We don't know what happened after that. We don't even know what they had planned." Wyatt gulped. "Mom promised she'd always be close, but I thought she'd return and then all this happened. Anyone who got too close to the Manor died."

"Has anyone gotten near the house and not died?" Sam wanted to know.

"Other than us?"

Sam nodded.

Wyatt nodded back. "A few people have been thrown across the yard onto the curb, but usually they just die."

"How?" Sam asked. "I asked you before, but you didn't answer. "So how are they dying?"

Wyatt blew out a breath. "I've only heard small things. It's not like they could get to the bodies."

"Then, why didn't I see any bodies when I was there?"

"Did you see the scorch marks?"

Sam's eyes narrowed. "What scorch marks?"

Wyatt sighed. "From what I've heard, sometimes the bodies would lie there for days and then they would seemingly just catch fire."

Sam frowned. "Why days later?"

Wyatt shook his head. "I don't know."

Sam scowled. "Okay, you said, you could get close to the house? How close?"

"The porch," Chris announced.

Wyatt nodded. "We can get onto the porch, but if we touch the doorknob, it's red hot."

"Spontaneous combusting bodies and hot doorknobs," Sam repeated. "Sure sounds like fire's involved somehow."

Victor groaned. "You are _not_ involving my grandsons in some scheme. There is nothing in that house, but death."

"Then, I'll leave them behind when I try to enter it," Sam replied unconcerned. "I don't care about dying myself. Right now, I need all the knowledge they can arm me with, because I'd rather live."

Victor looked at his two grandsons. "Boys, do you mind going to your rooms? I need to talk to him."

"We're not going anywhere," Wyatt informed him.

"You are going to leave the room," Victor gave him a look.

Wyatt scowled.

Chris kicked the ground and turned around. He headed to his room without a word.

Wyatt sighed and followed him.

Sam turned to look at Victor. "You have something to say that might help?"

* * *

This chapter had a couple of flashbacks in it. The first is from "Something Wicca This Way Goes". The other takes place during the time of that episode, but is not actually in the episode.

As with this last chapter I will post a chapter when I get fifty views or at least one review. The story is completely written, so if you want to read it sooner, review.

The next chapter has a confrontation between Victor and Sam. And what do you think is up with the combusting bodies?


	6. Point of View

A thank you to my reviewer:

vrb18 - Thank you for the compliment. I can't say that I know what other crossovers are like. I've only read a couple. But it often good when you aren't like all the others, so thank you. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. I meant to get this up as soon as I saw your review, but unfortunately I had some issues, mostly with the internet, so I have to settle for the day after. I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Five - Point of View

"I want to know what you are," Victor informed him. "Are you a witch?"

Sam looked at him startled. "Are you kidding me? Witches are evil."

"Don't ever say that in front of my grandsons," Victor replied. "I may not be thrilled about it, but I can say without question that witches are not evil. I'm not even going to bother asking if you are a whitelighter. It's clear that you aren't."

"What exactly is a whitelighter?" Sam asked, confused.

"I could probably go down several other things and I'd eliminate them all, wouldn't I?" Victor continued without acknowledging Sam's question. "All you are is a human like me. You can't fight this. I don't care what you think you can do, fighting this creature or force or whatever it is, isn't one of them. My daughters had a lot of powerful magic on their side and they are gone."

"I've been around some pretty powerful magic myself and we've taken down some pretty powerful magic, my brother and I," Sam informed him. "You aren't really going to try and stop me from trying to save people from that house?"

"I'm trying to save you from foolishly throwing away your life," Victor replied.

"You have no idea what I've been up against, no idea what I've had to deal with, and you just don't get the fact that I no longer care if I live or die," Sam ranted at him. "My brother is dead."

"And you really think he wants you to die, too?"

* * *

_Sam reentered the motel room and sat down on the bed._

_Dean was standing over him with his arms crossed. Bobby Singer was leaning against the window, also with his arms crossed. Both Dean and Bobby were looking at Sam suspiciously. "So tell me, what'd it cost?" Dean demanded._

_"The girl?" Sam smiled up at him. "I don't pay, Dean."_

_"That's not funny, Sam," Dean returned. "To bring me back. What'd it cost? Was it just your soul, or was it something worse?"_

_"You think I made a deal?" Sam asked surprised. It wasn't that he hadn't tried._

_"That's exactly what we think," Bobby informed him._

_"Well, I didn't," Sam replied, confused. He would have made any deal, if only someone would have taken him up on it, but no one would._

_"Don't lie to me," Dean demanded straight faced, certain that Sam had done this._

_"I'm not lying," Sam looked up at him._

_Advancing toward him, Dean tried to work out what Sam might possibly have done. His face showed annoyance, mixed with anger. "So what now, I'm off the hook and you're on, is that it? You're some demon's pregnant dog-boy? I didn't want to be saved like this."_

_Bobby watched in silence._

_Angry at not being believed and angry that he hadn't been able to do just that, Sam stood and faced his brother. "Look, Dean, I wish I had done it, all right?"_

_Dean grabbed Sam by the front of him shirt and demanded, "There's no other way that this could have gone down. Now tell the truth!"_

_Sam broke Dean grip and informed him that, "I tried everything. That's the truth. I tried opening the Devil's Gate. Hell, I tried to bargain, Dean, but no demon would deal, all right?" Sam's voice rose with every word. "You were rotting in Hell for months. For months, and I couldn't stop it. So I'm sorry it wasn't me, all right? Dean, I'm sorry."_

_Dean relaxed slightly and finally relented, finally believed his brother. "It's okay, Sammy. You don't have to apologize, I believe you."_

_"Don't get me wrong," Bobby cut in, "I'm gladdened that Sam's soul remains intact, but it does raise a sticky question."_

_Understanding, Dean finished for him. "If he didn't pull me out, then what did?"_

* * *

They had learned soon enough that it was Castiel, an angel with orders from God. That Dean didn't really believe in God or angels hadn't been that important to them. He certainly believed now, or in angels anyway. And right now, it wasn't important how Dean had gotten out. It was only important that he had. Well, that and the fact that with Victor's challenge, Sam was forced to admit, that Dean would not want him to go and get himself killed. Then, getting himself killed wasn't really what Sam planned to do. He planned to get to the bottom of this killer house and stop it from killing anyone else, himself included, and then he planned to find some way to bring Dean back, no matter what it took. He never wanted to deal with what he had for those four months.

Sam shook his head at Victor. "No, he doesn't want me to go and get myself killed. He'll want me to bring him back."

Victor's eyes narrowed. "And exactly how do you plan to do that?"

Sam shrugged. "I'll think of something."

* * *

The flashback in this chapter is from Supernatural 4X01 - Lazarus Rising.

As with this last chapter I will post a chapter when I get fifty views or at least one review. Thanks again to vrb18.

In the next chapter Wyatt and Chris are going to tell Sam what they know and one piece of information in particular catches his attention.


	7. Getting the Facts

A thank you to my reviewer:

vrb18 - Thank you for the compliment. It was interesting trying to mesh the two very different view points on the supernatural, particularily on the topic of witches.

The lists the boys show Sam are written by a family friend. See if you can figure out who.

* * *

Chapter Six - Getting the Facts

Sam was sitting on the ground looked at the very long list of people. Each of them had a date next to them. A few of them had more than one date next to them, very few. Most of them had the word "DECEASED" written after the date. Some of them had "DEAD" written in a child's hand. Not one of those with multiple dates had either of those notes written there.

On a second and third paper he saw lists of dates followed by a description of events, both written in different childish handwriting. The dates matched most of the time and the events described where very similar.

Sam looked up the two boys sitting on the couch. "You did all this?"

Chris nodded.

"Mostly," Wyatt announced.

"Who did the rest?"

"A friend of the family," Wyatt told him. "He's on the police force."

"You work with the local law enforcement?" Sam asked astonished. The local law enforcement usually hated him and Dean and usually with good reason.

Both boys shook their heads.

"Just him," Wyatt decided. "He's not too happy about it either, but he understands what we are trying to do."

"He was going to move, but he stayed," Chris announced.

Sam looked surprised. "He stayed for you?"

Chris nodded. "He has kids, but they're older than us."

"Actually, Dare's only a few years older than me," Wyatt countered. "It's Mikey that's older. That's not why he stayed. They were moving to get away from this kind of stuff, but then all this happened and so many people on the force died, so very many. His boss practically begged him to stay. I think he convinced his wife because with Mom and her sisters gone this wasn't going to really affect them anymore."

"Except it does," Sam finished, looking at him.

Wyatt nodded. "It does, but not nearly as much. There isn't much we can do. We try to keep people away. And we try to get in and do something about it, but we can't."

"You said you can get to the front porch," Sam commented. "Is there a back door?"

Wyatt nodded. "Tried that, too. We get thrown across the lawn."

"We've never gotten very close from that side," Chris commented. "I think I've seen someone in there, but it's really hard to see from the back fence."

Sam looked at Chris startled. "You think you've seen someone in there? A body? Or a living person."

Chris shrugged. "I'm not sure. Someone standing up, if I'm right."

Sam looked at Wyatt. "And you? Have you seen anyone?"

Wyatt shook his head. "Chris was alone that time. We went right back and promptly got knocked unconscious against the back fence. I guess someone or something didn't want us to see anything."

"When was that?"

Wyatt considered this for several seconds. "I guess it was in May, because it was just before school let out."

"And what did you see the time after that?" Sam wanted to know.

Wyatt shook his head. "Grandpa allows us to try and get in the front door, since we've only gotten a few minor burns from it. He forbid us to go through the back after that. Chris had a concussion."

Sam sighed. "I guess that's what I'll have to check first then."

Both boys shook their heads, quickly. "No!" Wyatt exclaimed. "You can't do that. It's even more dangerous than the front. Grandpa's right about that."

"Look," Sam commanded their attention, "I know you have a lot more experience with this, but someone has to get into that house or someone has to drop a bomb on it. And from what you are telling me, I'm not convinced a bomb would do it." He sighed. "I suppose I can see if I can get a view with some binoculars. You wouldn't happen to have any?" The last pair had been broken by a very large foot stepping on them. There hadn't been a need to replace them quite yet.

The brothers looked at each other. Wyatt frowned, thinking. Chris stood up and headed out of the room without a word. Noticing this, Wyatt relaxed.

"Your brother has some?"

"I guess," Wyatt shrugged.

Chris returned to the room with a pair of binoculars. "Will these work?"

Sam took them from him and smiled. "Thanks, kid."

"It's Chris," the boy reminded him.

Sam just nodded. He slipped the strap around his neck and let the binoculars fall against his chest. "I'll let you know what I find."

"Be careful," Wyatt warned. "I don't know what's in there, but they might notice you watching."

Sam nodded. "I'll be careful."

* * *

As with the previous chapters I will post a chapter when I get fifty views or at least one review.

In the next chapter you get your first look at what is going on inside the manor. What do you think Sam will find when he tries to look in?


	8. Rooftop View

A thank you to my reviewers:

Makky2010 - Well, definitely something big. You're right about that. I'm often curious to see if I am fooling people when I want to and if I am leading them down the right path when I want everything to be clear. Though, I am often more cautious with my own guesses, so I understand.

JinKa7 - Yikes. I didn't mean for it to sound that way. It is so very difficult to say everything you want with so little space to write your summary. It brings you down to the bare necessities of the story. I wanted to make this a crossover that didn't involved time travel and Supernatural only overlaps Charmed by one year (season eight of Charmed and season one of Supernatural) and Sam and Dean would be much older (presuming they are still alive . . . with their perchance for getting killed, one does leave cause to wonder) by the time Wyatt and Chris were adults. I had fun trying to figure this senerio out. I tried to make Sam something like it appeared he was during the time between Dean's death and return between seasons three and four. I think it's more that he prefers not to live without Dean, so he focuses his energy on that, on getting Dean back, but you are certainly right. He does need to live to get Dean back. Definitely Darryl providing that info. ;)

vrb18 - Well, here you go then. Enjoy.

This chapter may be short, but I think it packs a punch. I hope you agree. I had computer issues last night, so I didn't get this up. I lost part of a story which has me frustrated, but most of it I can rewrite without too much trouble.

* * *

Chapter Seven - Rooftop View

It had been very hard to find someplace where Sam could look straight at the back of the Halliwell Manor without being caught. As was he had climbed a fence and then onto someone's roof. He was lying down on the roof with the binoculars up to his eyes, trying to get them focused on the house.

When it came into focus he saw a woman with light brown hair walking around the room. Her back was to him. Nearby he saw a dark haired woman standing over what looked like some bodies. Behind her was a man with dark blond hair. He watched the woman with light brown hair walk closer to the woman with dark brown hair.

The woman with the dark brown hair waved her arm and sent the other woman sailing. Then, she reached up her hand, as if fingering a necklace he couldn't see from behind her, and a blue shield appeared in front of her.

The woman with the light brown hair scrambled to her feet and sent fire at the bodies on the ground.

The dark haired woman dropped her hand and the shield vanished. A wave of her arm, sent the fire away from them.

Sam could see what looked like a heated argument followed by more fire, more arm waving, and more appearances of the mysterious blue shield any time the fire seemed to be headed toward the dark haired woman or the man. He couldn't hear anything, but for a place that no one had successfully entered in over six years, it sure was a busy place.

Suddenly, the light haired woman swung around and seemed to stare straight at him with black, souless eyes. He dropped the binoculars as his chest suddenly started to burn. He rolled over, barely suppressing the acute desire to scream as he seemed to boil from the inside out and then it stopped and he was rolling off the roof. So intense was the pain moments before that while he had enough presence of mind to grab for something to hold, he didn't manage to successfully grab anything and he hit the ground with a crack.

* * *

So what do you think Sam saw? Who do you think these people are and how did they get in there? All of them are people who have been on multiple episodes of Charmed.


	9. Pictures on a Wall

A thank you to my reviewer:

vrb18 - Well, it looks like that chapter did what it was supposed to. Thanks for guessing who he saw. Piper's a good guess, but the dark haired woman wasn't Piper. Your other guess is dead on though. Good job. You'll learn who the other woman is eventually. You might be surprised when you find out.

* * *

Chapter Eight - Pictures on a Wall

When Sam came to the first thing he noticed was the two Halliwell brothers hovering over him.

"He's awake," Chris announced.

"I see that," Wyatt replied, relief in his voice. "I was beginning to wonder if I had lost him."

"What happened?" Sam asked as he sat up and felt along it's leg. Despite being certain that he'd broken it, there seemed to be nothing wrong with it. "I thought I broke this."

Wyatt nodded. "You did. It's fine now."

"But how . . ?" Sam looked at the two brothers. "Did you do this?"

Wyatt and Chris looked at each other. Wyatt sighed and looked at Sam. "I guess there's a few more things you need to know. I know grandpa talked to you about witches and I know you think they're evil, but we're not. Chris and I are both half witch, because our mom and her sisters were witches. We're also half whitelighter," Wyatt paused and glanced at Chris, "more or less, because our dad was one until shortly before he disappeared."

"And a whitelighter is . . ?"

"Many things, really, a guardian angel, a guide, a healer."

Sam stared at him. "You? A guide?"

Wyatt shrugged. "Well, I was born into it, which is very strange. Dad was though. One of the powers I got from that was the ability to heal, so that's why you don't have a broken leg anymore."

Sam considered this. "Some power. Thanks, kid."

Wyatt shook his head, but didn't comment. "So what happened there? I was using my powers to keep an eye on you and all of sudden you went from fine to dying. When we found you, it was next to someone's house, about a block from the Manor."

Sam nodded. "There're people in there," he informed them, pushing himself up so he could stand. "I'm not sure how many, five or six at least. Two women and a man with two or three bodies on the ground. I don't know if the bodies are alive or dead."

The two brothers stared at him stunned. "Mommy and Daddy," Chris squeaked.

Sam shook his head and threw up his hands. "I have no idea. Got any pictures?"

Both boys pointed across the room at some pictures on the wall.

Sam walked over to the wall. There were several pictures up there. The first one was of three little girls, the oldest no more than six or seven. The next had those same three girls, a little younger with a woman and Victor. The third picture had three women. Two had fairly dark brown hair, one short, the other shoulder length, drawing a sense of not quite recognition to him. The third had short brown hair a few shades lighter than the other two. The fourth picture was of the longer haired woman with a man with dark blond hair and there was no mistaking it. That was the man he had seen inside that house.

"I saw him," Sam announced. "The man in there was this man. I only got a good look at him and the woman with the lighter brown hair." He looked at the next picture. It had two of the woman from the third picture with a new woman. They looked older by a few years and the woman who had previously had lighter brown hair now had darker brown hair like the rest. The rest of the pictures were of Wyatt and Chris, as best he could tell, some of them with Victor.

The boys rushed to his side and looked up at the picture. With wide eyes they turned to stare at each other.

"Daddy's alive!" Chris exclaimed stunned.

* * *

Well, now Wyatt and Chris have gotten some stunning news, but there's still Victor to tell. How will he react to what Sam has learned? And what new knowledge might Sam learn about this family?


	10. The Family Name

A thank you to my reviewer:

vrb18 - Oh, well, then you should like the chapter after this one. Lots of Supernatural flashbacks. Of course on another site I was posting this, I called them spoilers, because the one member reading my story that I knew was also a fan of Supernatural is from Germany and they are a little behind in their seasons, so she's seen less than I have . . . and I only just started started watching season five because I watch it with my sister and it's difficult to watch it when she's four hours away. We watched three episodes in one night a few days ago. As to the other, very good. You guessed right about the bodies. But are they dead or alive?

I had a little fun with the fact that Wyatt and Chris' father and grandfather do not have the same last name as them. Only a little though. More serious stuff to deal with . . . like identifying who else is in the manor.

* * *

Chapter Nine - The Family Name

Victor did not take Sam's little adventure very well. The news that Sam believed his son-in-law might be trapped in the Manor, he took even less well. "If that's really Leo, then what is keeping him in there? Why doesn't he come out?"

"I imagine that it's the woman with the fire power," Sam retorted. "She and the dark haired woman seemed to be in some sort of argument and I got the idea that the dark haired woman was protecting the man . . . what did you say his name was?"

"Leo," Wyatt volunteered. "Dad's name is Leo Wyatt."

Sam blinked at the use of Wyatt's name as a last name. "Wait. I don't get it." He looked at Victor. "Your name is Bennett. Your son-in-law is named Wyatt. Where does Halliwell come from?"

"From their mother," Victor informed him. "Penny insisted that Patty keep her maiden name when she married me and then Penny insisted that Piper do the same when she married Leo."

"And Penny is?"

"My mother-in-law," Victor replied with a scowl. "She died in '98, but she's still interfering in my life and the boys' lives."

"Are you saying that a ghost has been haunting you?" Sam asked concerned.

Victor shook his head, seemingly amused. "Penny's far too busy with her afterlife to haunt anyone. No, the boys sometimes summon her or their grandmother, my ex-wife."

Sam stared at him confused. "They . . summon ghosts?" The concept was completely foreign to him. He banished ghosts. He kept them away from people. He didn't summon them. "But . . . why?"

"For some reason they seem to like Penny," Victor replied. "Patty I can understand, I married her after all, but Penny. She never had much use for men." Victor sighed and walked over to the couch and sat down. "I suppose she deals well enough with the boys though."

Sam just shook his head. "I have never heard of someone wanting to summon a ghost."

"You said your brother is dead," Victor said in reply. "If you could summon him, would you?"

"I'd bring him back," Sam insisted.

"And if that wasn't possible?"

Sam was silent for several seconds. "I can see your point." He walked over to the wall of pictures and looked at the happy faces. Dean was all he had. These people had each other, or that had for years and years. What had become of them, he was no longer sure, even though he had been told by many people that most of them had died.

"They've never been able to summon my oldest daughter," Victor commented.

Sam turned around to look at him. "Your oldest daughter? She died before the others?"

Victor nodded. "It's been eleven years since we buried Prue."

"Before Wyatt was born then."

Victor nodded, again. "Prue was killed by a demon called Shax. Wyatt wasn't born until almost two years later. His mother, Piper, was my middle daughter."

"Your middle daughter?" Sam looked at him. "But . . ." He looked at the pictures on the wall. Four different woman looked at him from two different pictures. Two women were in both pictures, but there were no pictures of all four.

"Paige wasn't mine," Victor admitted. "Not that it was important in the end. She was their sister and she was not her parents. She was Paige."

Sam nodded. His mind turned to a boy named Adam. They'd never met, but he'd gotten a glimpse into Adam's life thanks to the creature that had taken it over after killing him. He'd never met him, but Adam had been his brother, dead before he'd even reached twenty.

"You said you got a look at the two women," commented startling them both. They had forgotten he and his brother were there. "Could one of them have been Mom?"

Sam looked at the woman in the picture with Leo Wyatt and shook his head. "No. The woman with the fire power had hair around that length, they both did, I believe, but the woman with the fire power had much lighter hair, maybe even a blondish brown. And she was the one who tried to kill me, I think, so probably the one that has been causing so much death over these past six years."

"And the other woman?" Wyatt wanted to know.

"The color was probably right. It was darker at least, but not nearly as straight." Sam sighed. "I never got a straight on look at her face, but I'm pretty sure she wasn't your mother." He pointed to one of the women in one of the pictures. "No, she looked more like her."

* * *

Who is Sam pointing at?


	11. Regaining Perspective

First, thanks to my reviewer:

vrb18 - Well, here's the next chapter for you. Enjoy.

Slight language warning from the Supernatural flashbacks. I left them the way they appeared in the episode. The flashbacks are from seasons three and four. There is also more flashbacks from "Something Wicca This Way Goes".

* * *

Chapter Ten - Regaining Perspective

Wyatt walked over to Sam and looked up at the picture, a puzzled frown growing on his face. "But Aunt Prue's dead."

Sam shrugged. "According to what your grandpa just told me, so is your great-grandmother, but that hasn't stopped you from seeing her. Maybe she's taken to haunting her old home."

"Did you say you saw Prue?" Victor asked in disbelief.

Sam looked at him. "I don't know. As I said before I didn't get a clear view of the dark haired woman, but of all the people on this wall, she looked closest to this woman. She easily could be someone entirely different."

"Prue had the power of telekinesis," Victor informed him. "She could possibly throw people across the front lawn. But she's dead. The dead can't stay around for seven years. That makes no sense."

Sam shrugged, unconcerned. "So it was someone else. I saw the back of her head and a brief glance at her face, not enough to be certain whom I saw. It could easily have been someone else."

"But it could have been her," Wyatt repeated, wanting to know.

Sam nodded. "It could have been."

Victor looked at his grandsons. "Boys, you know I hate to see Penny, but I think you need to summon her."

"Why not Grandma?" Chris wanted to know. "I like her better."

Victor chuckled. "So do I, but if Prue really is in there, then Penny is more likely to know why. Patty might only know that she's missing."

Wyatt nodded his head. "Chris and I will get what we need."

As the two boys headed into the hall, the phone began to ring. Victor walked over and picked it up. "Hello."

"Another person died today," Darryl Morris informed Victor without preamble. "Something has to be done. If the boys can't do it, then is there anyone else at all they can call on?"

Victor looked across the room at Sam. "Darryl, I think I have someone you'll want to talk to."

"Someone who can help?"

"Someone who's going to try whether he can or not," Victor informed him. "He won't listen to reason, so we are trying to arm him with as much knowledge as we can."

"A witch?"

Victor shook his head. "Not magical at all as far as I know, but he intends to continue on this course. Would you mind talking to him?"

Darryl sighed. "Put him on."

Victor handed the phone to a surprised Sam. "The police contact the boys have. He's met my girls over a decade ago and knows most if not all of their secrets."

Sam took the phone, reluctantly. The idea of talking to the police was a little iffy in his mind, but he was trying to trust this family. "This is Sam."

"Paige's father?" Darryl asked, confused.

"Who?" Sam looked at the last picture on the wall. "Oh. I guess that explains a few things. No, I am definitely not her father. I'm not even sure I'm older than her."

"Sam what?"

"Doesn't matter," Sam replied.

"It does if you want me to talk to you," Darryl replied.

"And have you try and look me up?" Sam retorted. "I'll save you the time. On paper I look like a really bad bet, but I know this kind of stuff, and I've faced some pretty horrific things, things I hope you have never seen."

"Don't bet on it," Darryl mumbled.

"What was that?" Sam asked.

"Nothing," Darryl replied. "Victor said you are trying to help get rid of the Manor so it doesn't kill anyone else."

"Then, he told you wrong," Sam informed him. "I am trying to incapacitate the woman behind the fire power and hoping that the others in there don't mean me any harm."

"What are you talking about?" Darryl asked confused. "What woman? What others?"

"Well, we've only successfully identified one of them," Sam admitted. "I was able to get a good look, but the two women had their backs to me most of the time. I only saw the woman with the fire power's face when she tried to kill me."

"You've already tried to enter there?" Darryl asked, surprised. "And you survived?"

"Well, the first time I got stopped by the pint sized owners of the house," Sam informed him as he watched Wyatt and Chris return with an assortment of large, clear crystals. "But then, I suppose if what I saw is accurate, they may not be the real owners."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't worry about it," Sam waved away the question. "Unless someone gets into the building, it's not important."

"But you saw something inside the Manor?" Darryl pushed.

"I saw someone inside the house," Sam corrected.

"Who?"

"Right now, it's not too important, but one of them was a woman with the power to control fire," Sam informed him. "I believe she is responsible for the deaths piled on that house."

"And I suppose you know how to fix it," Darryl wanted to know.

"There were others in the house," Sam informed him. "One of them appeared unable to do anything other than avoid the woman with the fire power. If they have all been in there for seven years, I imagine he has a pretty good idea of what he can and cannot do. The other is a woman who seems to be able to use something to put some sort of shield in front of her. While I was watching, every time I saw her use that, she reached up just below her neck, so I think maybe she has some sort of magical amulet on. In addition she seemed to have pretty firm grasp on a telekinetic power, if you know what that means."

"Of course, I do," Darryl replied. "You have met the Halliwells right?"

Sam looked at the two boys setting up the crystals in a circle. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, Prue had that power and then Paige had a modified version of it," Darryl informed him. "Chris has that power and both boys have the modified version of it. From what I'm told, the girls' grandmother had it, too, but I didn't know her. She died a few months before I met any of them."

"If I am understanding them correctly, I'm about to meet her," Sam retorted, his eyes fixed on the two boys. "That isn't why I am talking to you, though. Is there anything you can tell me about this that might help me?"

"If you saw inside that house, you might well know more about this then I do," Darryl informed him.

"Well, tell me what you do know," Sam requested, "because I don't know what I will need to know. I am not used to doing things without my brother, and I don't want to get used to it, but I'm probably going into that house without help."

"What about those inside?" Darryl asked.

"I don't know," Sam admitted. "I think it is perhaps all the one woman can do to hold off the woman with the fire power. I don't know if she will be able to help me or not."

Darryl sighed. "All right. I suppose I should tell you what I know."

* * *

_The day had finally come. Darryl wasn't sure if he was glad or sad. Leaving San Francisco meant leaving behind a lot of memories and leaving behind a lot of people. It wasn't just the Halliwell sisters they were leaving behind. There were two sets of parents, his and Sheila's who still lived there. There were friends. Sometimes it seemed like the only people he talked to outside of his family were Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and Leo, but they weren't. There were memories, so many memories._

_There was the fact that he didn't want to end up like Andy Trudeau. Andy had been his friend and his partner, but for Andy the girls had come first. More specifically, Prue had come first. A choice between Andy's job on the force and protecting Prue had been a no brainer. He'd turned in his badge. A choice between almost certain death and once more protecting Prue and her sisters had cost Andy his life and he'd known it going in. Andy had asked him to protect those girls, too, but there was only so far a man could take a promise. They had become dear to him, but he had his family to think about._

_And there was the line. Had it been only him, Darryl didn't think he would be standing here, ready to leave San Francisco. He might not have always been happy with them. Sometimes he was extremely angry with them, but he believed in what they were fighting for._

_"Hold hands," Sheila Morris directed her two sons. "Hold hands."_

_"Why are you running?" Darryl teased his sons._

_The boys, Darryl Junior and Michael, Dare and Mikey for short, laughed and smiled as they slowed down._

_Behind them the door closed and a stream of light came out of the sky forming into Leo behind them. "Darryl!"_

_"Oh," Darryl stopped and turned around. "Leo."_

_"Leo!" Sheila exclaimed startled._

_"Where'd you come from?" Darryl wanted to know. "How did you get here?"_

_"A little help from magic school," Leo informed them, brushing it aside as unimportant. With what he was dealing with, it rather was. "Look, we need to talk."_

_"Listen, Leo," Darryl responded, "I am done talking, man."_

_"It's not just about the girls," Leo interrupted. "It's about Sheridan."_

_Darryl looked at Sheila before asking, "What about Sheridan?"_

_"I know she's investigating the girls," Leo admitted, "but whatever you do, you've got to keep her away from the house. Something big is gonna go down soon."_

_"Are they okay?" Darryl asked, suddenly worried._

_Leo's face was worried. He opened his mouth and shut it, again._

_"Leo, what is it?" Sheila asked, concerned about the girls, too._

_Leo didn't answer directly. Instead he said, "Look, I know you're stuck in the middle of this, and for that, I'm sorry, but we need you to keep them away from the house until this is over, for Sheridan's sake, for everyone's sake. I gotta go. Take care." With that, Leo turned and left._

_"Hey . . . Leo?" Darryl couldn't do anything except watch Leo leave. When he was gone, Darryl turned to look at Sheila. "Sheila, baby . . ."_

_"No, Darryl," Sheila protested at once. "You promised."_

_"Baby, I . . ." Darryl tried to find the words, "I can't just leave them high and dry. Look, there is nothing more important to me than you and those kids, nothing, but if we're about building a better future for our family, then I have to help the sisters. Isn't that what they're fighting for?"_

_"Please, promise me this'll be the last time," Sheila relented._

_"I promise," he agreed._

* * *

_By the time Darryl had reached the Manor it was surrounded by SWAT. Sheridan was already dead. There was nothing he could have done to save her. He managed to reach Agent Keyes before SWAT was sent in. "I wouldn't go in just yet if I were you."_

_Over the walkie-talking he heard, "Awaiting your go command. Over."_

* * *

"He listened to me but it turns out there was never a good time to go back in," Darryl informed Sam sadly. "A lot of good people lost their lives that day."

"I was told that you had planned to move out of here," Sam commented. "What happened?"

"I actually did move," Darryl admitted. "We got all the way to the state border and I got a call from the chief. He wanted me to come back. I turned him down."

"Then, how did you end up back here?" Sam asked confused.

There was silence on the other end for several seconds before Darryl spoke again. "That night we stayed at a motel in Nevada. The boys wanted to watch a movie, but Sheila wanted to check the weather report first."

Sam was surprised to hear Darryl chuckle on the other end. "Did I miss something?"

"According to my wife, whenever something bad happens with the Halliwell sisters, there are major weather problems," Darryl explained. "Well, we actually got snowed in our motel that night, so I guess maybe she had a point. However, that isn't what got us turned back around. Before the weather report was a news report on what happened. With so many dead, it was making national news. I'm sure you heard all about it."

"I think I was trying to enjoy a normal life, trying to avoid any mention of my less than normal family," Sam informed him thinking back to a time before all this had happened, when he was still in school, when Jess was still alive, when he and Dean had nothing in common. It had been a time when he hadn't the slightest inkling of what he was about to be up against. When these women where more or less getting ready for their deaths, he was in the first weeks of school busy getting ready for school tests and dates with Jess. How ironic that when their journey was ending, his was about to begin and now their journeys, for better or worse, were crossing.

"Makes me think of Piper," Darryl commented. "She dearly wanted a normal life without . . . demons and all the evils of the world."

"Can't say that I blame her," Sam admitted. "I have learned that I'm never going to be normal. It literally is in my blood to be abnormal."

"Sounds like you have a lot in common with those girls," Darryl commented.

* * *

_Tammi pulled Ruby up to a sitting position from the floor. She chuckled and looked at Sam. "She didn't tell you?" Turning back to Ruby she continued her little speech to her former follower. "Pretty mortifying I guess. She was one of mine. I turned her out a long, long time ago." She supported Ruby's sagging head as she continued, her voice rising. "Ruby here was a witch. Of course that was when you were human."_

_Dean gritted his teeth and glared, surprise still showing in his eyes from where he was pinned to the wall._

_Sam looked at the two surprised from where he was pinned to a different wall. He wasn't sure what surprised him more, but it was probably the fact that at some point Ruby had been human when now she was only vapors that possessed someone._

_Tammi through Ruby to the ground, surrounded by debris of a bookcase broken in the fight. She looked down at her with mock sympathy. "Didn't want your friends to know that all those centuries back you sold yourself to me? Embarassing," she gave Ruby a half shrug with a half frown, "I guess. But don't worry love, no secrets where you're heading remember?"_

* * *

It had taken the distraction of a witch that Tammi had betrayed to give Dean the chance to use Ruby's knife to stab Tammi and free the three of them. Elizabeth, the witch, had not been so lucky.

When they were back in the hotel, Dean had to know more, probably because he more than Sam had accepted where that year would end. It had been a long time before Dean had told him anything about the conversation.

* * *

_"Wacky night," Dean commented to Ruby as he stepped off the sidewalk around the motel toward her. "So let me get this straight, you were human once, you died, you went to hell, you became a. . ."_

_"Yeah," Ruby admitted without any emotions. She turned and started walking away._

_"How long ago?" Dean asked before she got very far._

_Ruby stopped. "Back when the plague was big," she informed him without turning around._

_"So all of 'em," Dean tried to reason it out, "every d**n demon, they were all human once."_

_Ruby turned around slowly to face him. "Every one I've ever met."_

_"Well, they sure don't act like it."_

_Ruby shrugged. "Most of them have forgotten what it means, or even that they were. That's what happens when you go to hell Dean. That's what hell is, forgetting what you are."_

* * *

From listening to the two Halliwell boys talk he had a feeling that while every demon Ruby had ever met had been human at one point, that was not true of every demon this family had dealt with. Of course that was assuming that Ruby was even telling the truth. She was pretty good at lying. If he had needed any proof of that, St. Mary's Convent had been it.

* * *

_Ruby circled around Lilith's body, a look of awe on her face. "You did it. I mean, it was a little touch-and-go there for a while, but . . . you did it."_

_The blood pouring from Lilith's head and then the rest of her body came out in a steady, deliberate stream, too steady and too deliberate._

_Sam watched first the blood and then Ruby, suspiciously. Something wasn't right here. "What? What? What did I do?_

_You opened the door," Ruby informed him in an almost giddy voice. "And now he's free at last. He's free at last!"_

_Sam refused to believe his own ears. "No, no, no. No, he . . . Lilith . . . I stopped her. I killed her!"_

_In an excited voice, Ruby began quoting. "And it is written that the first demon shall be the last seal. And you bust her open. Now guess who's coming to dinner."_

_"Oh, my god," Sam gasp._

_"Guess again," Ruby smirked._

_The sounded of pounding, Dean trying desperately to get in to his little brother, could be heard by both of them. It was ignored._

_"You don't even know how hard it was!" Ruby announced. "All the demons out for my head. No one knew. I was the best of those sons of bitches! The most loyal! Not even Alistair knew! Only Lilith! Yeah, I'm sure you're a little angry right now, but I mean, come on, Sam! Even you have to admit . . . I'm . . . I'm awesome!"_

_"You bitch!" Sam exclaimed, thrusting his hands at her, trying to use his powers. "You lying bitch!" He dropped, clutching his head instead._

_"Don't hurt yourself, Sammy," Ruby warned. "It's useless. You shot your payload on the boss."_

_"The blood," Sam decided, "you poisoned me."_

_"No," Ruby knelt in front of him. "It wasn't the blood. It was you . . . and your choices. I just gave you the options, and you chose the right path every time. You didn't need the feather to fly, you had it in you the whole time, Dumbo! I know it's hard to see it now . . . but this is a miracle. So long coming. Everything Azazel did, and Lilith did. Just to get you here. And you were the only one who could do it."_

_"Why?" Sam needed to know. "W-why me?"_

_"Because . . . because it had to be you, Sammy," Ruby replied without making any sense. "It always had to be you. You saved us. You set him free. And he's gonna be grateful. He's gonna repay you in ways that you can't even imagine."_

_That was when Dean finally broke in._

_Ruby stood to confront him. "You're too late."_

_"I don't care," Dean announced as he pulled out the knife and advanced on her._

_Seeing what his brother was planning, Sam stood and grabbed her from behind, keeping her from escaping as Dean stabbed her._

_Ruby flickered from the inside, then crumpled to the floor, dead._

_"I'm sorry," Sam told his brother, broken, used._

* * *

Sam gulped. Ruby had been a witch once. And from what he understood, she wasn't a very nice one either. It was only in retrospect that he had truly tried to figure her out. She had led him down a very dangerous path and she had tricked him into doing things he never should have done, but he was still the one who had done them.

Though he had demon blood flowing within his veins, it wasn't there naturally and it wasn't there by his choice. Ruby's hadn't been natural either, but it had most certainly been there by her choice. On the other hand the Halliwell sisters were not demonic, and so far as he could tell they were fighting on the same side as he was.

Sam sighed. "Thank you."

"For what?" The confusion in Darryl's voice was obvious.

"You reminded me of a few things I'd forgotten and of things I hadn't really thought about," Sam informed him. "So tell me about what happened this afternoon."

* * *

Now it's time to summon Grams. Sam should find this interesting. Usually when he encounters ghosts, he's trying to get rid of them, but not this time. This time he's watching people summon one for help.


	12. Summoning The Dead

First, thanks to my reviewers:

vrb18 - Well, I've very glad you love it. And original can certainly be a good thing, so thank you.

AJ Winchester - I'm going to take a wild guess and say you are a fan of Supernatural. I'm glad you love it.

Sorry this tool so long to update. My only excuse is that it's been a long week. And then there was yesterday. First I get woken at 3:30 AM (or so I'm told, I can't read the clock without my glasses) with the news that our dog died. Her name was Sheba and she was fifteen. Then, my brother want to look at games and stuff like that . . . and we ended up getting a gaming system. And then we had to update with the internet . . . which ended up disconnecting my internet until this afternoon. But that's only yesterday. I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

Chapter Eleven - Summoning The Dead

After talking to Darryl, Sam wasn't sure how much new information he had, but he had a new resolve. Whatever else it had done, talking to this stranger, had focused him and made him realize that the Halliwells might be witches, but they were unlike any witches he had met before.

Sam walked over to where the two boys and their grandpa waited. "So what are we doing here?"

"We're doing nothing," Victor informed him. "This is all the boys."

Wyatt grabbed his brother's hand and they started chanting. "Hear these words, hear our cry. Spirit from the other side, come to us, we summon thee. Cross now the great divide, beloved spirit Penelope. We seek your guidance. We ask that you commune with us, and move among us."

Sam watched amazed as lights swirled around within the circles and slowly formed into a woman who looked anything by grandmotherly. She made him think more of a tigress. There was something dangerous about her.

"What? Why am I being summoned?" Penelope "Grams" Halliwell asked as she turned around to look at her surroundings. "Hello, boys. Have you been behaving and practicing your magic?"

"Yes, Grams," the two boys chorused with twin grins on their faces.

Sam snorted.

Grams turned around and looked at him. "And who are you?"

"Sam," he replied, sobering quickly.

"Hardly," Grams retorted.

Sam resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her. "Sam _Winchester_," he informed her, emphasizing his last name. What were the chances he shared a last name with the father of Wyatt and Chris' younger aunt, whatever her name was?

Grams ignored him and turned to look at her grandsons. "Now, did you need something boys?"

"We have a question," Wyatt informed her.

Chris was more direct. He pointed at Sam and announced, "He thinks he saw Aunt Prue in the Manor. Did he?"

"And why do you expect me to know the answer?" Grams asked. "I can't see into the Manor."

"Why not?" Sam asked, annoyed. "You're a ghost aren't you? Can't ghosts go places others can't."

Grams glared at him. "Someone cast a spell on the Manor. No one, dead or alive, can get in."

"Well, someone is going to have to," Sam decided, "because the killing has got to stop."

"And how do you intend to do that, boy?"

Sam sighed. "I don't know. There has to be a way, though. Don't they sleep?"

"If Prue is in there, I can't imagine why she would," Grams retorted. "My granddaughter is just as dead as I am."

"And your grandson-in-law? Is he?"

"Leo?" Grams frowned. "I don't know what happened to Leo. He just vanished seven years ago with all four of my granddaughters."

"Yes, Leo," Sam agreed. "He's in there. I didn't get a great look at him, but I got a good enough look that it is definitely him."

"Leo's in the Manor?" Grams questioned.

"Before this happened, did you talk to your granddaughter?" Sam asked. "The dead one."

"Her name is Prue," Grams informed him. "I did speak to her that day."

"Did she say anything useful?" Sam wanted to know.

* * *

_Grams noticed Prue looking worried. "Is everything all right, Dear?"_

_"Have you looked in on my sisters lately?" Prue Halliwell asked, concern threading through her words._

_"Not recently, no. Is something the matter?"_

_"With what they're planning, you might just see them up here very soon," Prue commented._

_"What did they do?"_

_"Nothing yet," Prue admitted, "but they might be in over their heads. This demon scared the Source, Grams, and they are trying to vanquish him. I don't know if they can do it."_

_"What are you planning, Prue?"_

_Prue shook her head. "I have an idea, but I have to go talk to someone."_

_"You can't go to your sisters," Grams warned her._

_"It's been four years, Grams," Prue protested. "I am adjusted. I am here to stay. I get that. Now, my sisters need my help."_

_"You do go to them and who knows what will happen to you or them."_

_"They can't hold me here and no one's going to punish them for my actions."_

_"From what you are saying they need to concentrate and not on you."_

_Prue sighed. "Fine, but I am not leaving them without my help if I can give it. I'll just have to find another way." Prue walked away from Grams, a look of concentration on her face. "A spell, that's what I'll do," Prue muttered as she walked out of Grams' hearing range. "Leo can present it . . ." _

* * *

"After that I couldn't hear what she was saying, but I suppose she was going to approach Leo with her plan, whatever it was." Grams scrutinized Sam. "You are saying that both Prue and Leo ended up in the Manor all these years."

"Well, Leo is definitely there, but the woman I could only guess was Prue," Sam repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time. "From what you are saying, I'd have to guess that it is extremely likely that it is her in there. That's good to know, but how do we get in there without getting killed. That's the one thing no one is telling me. No one is even coming up with any ideas." He sighed and looked at Grams. "Can you do me a favor?"

Grams looked at him, surprised. "What did you need other than info on Prue?"

"Two days ago the motel I was in collapsed," Sam informed her. "The police don't know why or if they do they aren't telling me."

"While, that is strange, you seem fine," Grams informed him. "What kind of help could you possibly need, young man?"

"Over thirty people were in that building," Sam gave her a scalding look, "including my brother and I'm the only one who survived." He tried to relax his tense body as he continued, "Can you please try and find my brother, if he's there and tell him I haven't given up. His name is Dean."

Grams nodded. "I'll look, but what do you mean by 'if' he's there. All the dead go there."

Sam shook his head. "No, thrilled as I am for you that you don't have experience with what I am talking about, not all the dead go there. My dad went to hell to keep Dean alive and then Dean went there to bring me back. Dad was there for over a year and from what Dean told me of his four months there, that's like over a hundred years in hell. Dad's out of there, with Mom I think. She died when I was a baby, but she . . ."

She was the only ghost he'd ever come in contact with that he'd really been glad to see. Had he the chance to summon her or Jess or Dad like Wyatt and Chris could their great-grandmother or their grandmother, he would have, gladly.

Sam smiled a little. "Okay, I get it, now."

Wyatt looked at him curious. "What do you get?"

Sam chuckled, a little. "I get why someone would want to summon a ghost." He nodded his head at Grams. "No offense, but it's a concept very foreign to me."

"I'll let it go this once," Grams replied. "I must be going though." She looked at Sam. "I will attempt to find your brother and deliver the message, though I can't imagine what use it is."

"He'll understand," Sam assured her.

Grams shook her head. "Men." Apparently Sam had gone from "boy" to "man" somewhere in the course of the conversation. And then she disappeared in sparkling lights.

The sooner they solved this the sooner he could try and save his brother. Sam looked at Victor and his grandsons. "I guess we have two questions to answer. How do we neutralize the woman with the fire power? And how do we get in there?"

* * *

Do you think Grams will be able to find Dean and deliver the message?

Wyatt has something to show Sam. And they have to find out what their next step is.

Oh, if you missed it, the flashback was implying that Prue went to Leo and she told him about a spell to imulate her power at this point in time rather than an earlier one. I hope that made sense and meshes with the episode in as much as this story does . . . since it does say that everything after a certain point is . . . well, not real.


	13. Wyatt's Book

First, thanks to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - Thank you.

Much faster this time. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Twelve - Wyatt's Book

Half an hour later, Sam found himself sitting around the dinner table with Wyatt, and Chris. Victor had provided them all with something to eat and left. Chris had brought out a notebook and various writing supplies, including, to Sam's amusement, a pencil sharpener. It was Wyatt's contribution that had Sam a little stunned. It was a black binder stuffed to the max with sheets of paper sheaved in plastic covers.

"What is that?" Sam demanded to know.

"I know it's kind of small," Wyatt started, causing Sam's eyes to widen, "but the real one is stuck in the Manor and like everything else, we can't get to it."

"But what is it?" Sam repeated.

"It's a book of shadows," Wyatt informed him. "From what I remember the Book at the Manor is about three times the size of this notebook, but I had to collect all the info myself and it's kind of hard. The internet helped some, but you can't always be too sure of stuff you get there. I've had Grams and Grandma Patty helping me out, checking my work. 'Course I had to find the spell to summon them first." Wyatt laughed. "Now, that was a comedy of errors."

"So does that talk about people that can control fire?"

Wyatt nodded as he started flipping through it. "They're called Fire Starters. They are pretty rare, but show up from time to time. I got Tyler's help with that one. He's a Fire Starter. Some Fire Starters, like Tyler, are witches, too, but most come from no magical back ground at all. My guess is that yours has some sort of magical training at the very least, since she appears to have gotten the better of pretty much the entire adult part of my family."

Sam tried valiantly not to laugh at that. Wyatt was so solemn. "Okay, does it say anything about how to stop them?"

Wyatt shook his head. "No. It only says that, like most magical beings, their power is in their emotions. When that goes haywire, so do their powers."

"And we don't want that," Sam sighed. "If her powers go haywire, she might accidentally cause a lot of damage."

"Which is presuming that she doesn't want to cause a lot of damage," Chris retorted. "What we need to do is find a way that she can't use her powers at all, bind them, or better still strip them."

Sam looked at him interested. Before he could ask about that, Wyatt was shaking his head. "And do what, force feed them to her. Both of those have to be ingested."

"Not always," Chris argued. "I found a diary of Aunt Phoebe's among her stuff from the Bay Mirror. Let me go get it," Chris suggested. He hopped up and headed out of them room.

"What's he up to?" Sam asked turning to look at Wyatt.

Wyatt shrugged. "Not a clue. I don't know anything about Aunt Phoebe's diary."

"Which one is Phoebe?" Sam asked, glancing back at the pictures on the wall in the other room.

"She's third born, after our mom," Wyatt informed him. "Aunt Prue was the oldest. She's the one who died and you think you saw in the Manor. Mom's next. Her name was," he smiled a little as he shrugged and changed it, "or is Piper. Aunt Phoebe's the baby. She's not the youngest since it turns out there's Aunt Paige as well, but she's certainly the baby or so I'm told. I barely remember anything about her. I was just two and a half when we lost them all." Wyatt looked at him curious. "What about your family? You mentioned a brother to Grams. Any other siblings, parents?"

Sam was quiet for several seconds. "My mom was killed by a demon when I was six months old. My dad traded his life for Dean's about a year after you lost your parents. About three years ago we found out we had a half brother, just after he was killed. We never met him, never knew him. I'm not even sure you could consider him family, but he was blood, so I guess that counts for something."

"Found it," Chris announced as he reentered the room. In his hands was a small book. He opened it up and started flipping through it. He smiled as he stopped. "Here is it." He handed the opened book to Sam and pointed to something.

"Cole's powers are gone," Sam read aloud. He cast a puzzled look at the two brothers, but kept reading. "I wasn't sure if it would work. A few weeks ago I had Piper make some changes to the potion. Last time I through the goblet at his feet and nothing happened, because nothing was supposed to happen, but this time when Emma through the potion at Cole it did what Piper had changed it to do. It stripped his demonic powers. It killed the demon Belthazor and left behind the man I love." Sam stopped and looked at the brothers. "And how does this help us?"

"There is a way to make a stripping potion that doesn't require ingestion," Chris announced. "We just have to figure out how."

Sam looked at the two brothers and shook his head. "You know what. I'm going to get another look at inside that building and I'll leave the witchcraft to you two experts."

"Works for me," Wyatt agreed. "I'll take a look at the notes I've gather and see if I can find anything." He looked at his little brother. "See if you can get Grandpa to agree to help you out in the kitchen."

"Grandpa can't cook," Chris informed him.

Wyatt shrugged. "Neither can you. Fortunately it is possible to make a potion without the ability to cook crêpes Suzette and that you can do."

Sam chuckled at them. "Since my brother's car is decidedly back near your place, where can I catch a bus."

The brothers looked at each other. Chris shook his head. Wyatt gave him a look. Chris scowled. Wyatt nodded vigorously. Chris snorted and headed across the room. He grabbed up a phone book and started flipping through it. He handed it open to Sam. "Taxi's faster."

* * *

As you can tell the boys still aren't quite ready to mention orbing to Sam. They're not sure how he'll take it. So now, Sam's going back and this time he's looking for different info than before.


	14. Another Meg

First, thanks to my reviewer:

vrb18 - Thank you for that. I'll miss her. She was very sweet. I won't make you wait too long, so here's the next chapter.

This one is a bit on the short side, but enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen - Another Meg

Sam climbed back up onto the roof. He sure hoped that the owners wouldn't show up anytime soon. They might take exception to his presence. He crawled along the roof until the backyard of the manor was in view.

Sam used the binoculars to look for an open window or some sort of crack. The only ones he found were in the attic windows. He sighed and looked down at the continuous fight just inside the house.

The enemy had formed fire between her hands. Prue, for with one good look at her face all doubt of that was erased, watched her wearily, one hand holding up what appeared to be an amulet of some sort. At first Sam couldn't locate Leo, but he noticed him lying on the ground behind Prue. Sam hoped he was only sleeping.

It was what was in front of Prue that caught his attention. Before, he'd focused his attention on the fight. Now, he tried to get a good view of the bodies. As long as the house had been locked up, it was unlikely they were recent additions. Seeing no sign of decay, he decided they were probably alive, but unconscious or asleep. He wasn't sure which. Still unable to get a good view of them, he gave up trying and turned his attention to the enemy.

As if she sensed his attention, she turned to look at him. To his shock he saw the black eyes of someone possessed by a demon, just before the burning started.

Sam was fully unprepared for what happened next. He felt as if someone had turned him upside down and tickled him while giving him a good shake. He no longer burned, but he was disoriented and his stomach rolled as he saw the town pass by him in rapid movement through sparkling balls of light.

* * *

It's fun mixing elements of Charmed and Supernatural. And for Sam this is suddenly both on familiar ground (with the demon) and extremely unfamiliar ground (with the being conscious this time when they orbed him). So has anyone figured out who the demon is possessing, yet? It's a character from Charmed. I named the chapter after the first of this kind of demon I recall seeing (though technically that's the name of the first host I remember), but will she end the same?


	15. Strip, Bind, or What

First, thanks to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - Thank you..

The boys are trying to decide what to do with the demon possessing an innocent and attacking their family.

* * *

Chapter Fourteen - Strip, Bind, or What

Sam looked at the two boys as it registered with him that he was back in Victor's apartment. "Okay, what just happened?"

The brothers looked at each other and then at him innocently. "Nothing."

Sam eyed them. Nothing about them gave away the lie he knew it to be. "I see." He gave them a few seconds to tell him something and then shrugged. "Back to the demon then."

"Are you sure it's a demon?" Wyatt asked. "Sounds more like a warlock to me."

"Any idea what kind?" Chris asked, ignoring his brother.

"Definitely a demon," Sam confirmed. "And one I shouldn't have trouble dealing with now that I know what it is. I've dealt with this kind of demon before and I should be able to do this and hopefully save the host as well."

"The host?" The brothers exclaimed in unison.

"You mean someone's possessed?" Chris added.

It was kind of nice to have this conversation with people who didn't think he was nuts just for saying it. Other than Dean and Bobby . . . and Cas, if he ever bothered to show up . . . that was pretty uncommon in Sam's world. Sam nodded. "There's no doubt about that. I don't know anything about the host, of course, but they should be physically unharmed after I get rid of the demon."

"And mentally?" Wyatt asked. "Emotionally?"

Sam shook his head. This kid was too old. "I don't know. This isn't normal. But the demon doesn't really care."

"What about the stripping potion?" Chris wanted to know.

"We didn't have a way to get it in there anyway," Sam reminded him. "And this way we don't risk hitting your family."

"Oh," Chris sounded a little disappointed. "Well, I guess it's good to avoid accidentally stripping Mom's powers."

Wyatt snorted. "She'd have mixed feelings on that one."

Chris laughed in agreement. "I guess so." He turned to look at Sam. "But if we can't get the potion in, how are you going to be able to do anything?"

"I don't have to get through the door and I can start from several feet away," Sam informed him. "Hopefully I can get close enough without being noticed."

The two brothers looked at each other, worried. "I don't like how that sounds," Wyatt admitted.

"We're going with you," Chris announced at almost the same time.

Wyatt frowned. "What?"

"It makes since," Chris informed him. "If we're close, we can be there to help if he is wrong and needs our help."

Wyatt frowned. After a moment he sighed. "I'll go tell Grandpa."

"Taxi, again?" Chris asked.

Wyatt nodded as he headed out of the room.

* * *

Despite all that they still don't want to explain orbing to Sam. He'll get those answers eventually. They have one last chance to change their minds and back off.


	16. A Warning and a Decision

First, thanks to my reviewers:

PbJ - Well, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I am struggling with another story and I missed the notice that you had reviewed or else I would have updated sooner.

AJ Winchester - Thank you, again. I'm glad you love it.

vrb18 - Well, they are headed on their way to do something besides observe, but that won't be until next chapter.

A taxi ride can take a long time, especially when you are faced with life or death. Sam can still turn around. If he did at least one of the boys wouldn't blame him. The other . . . well, he can feel this too much. He wants this too much. And they are too close. He would not be so easy about it.

* * *

Chapter Fifteen - A Warning and a Decision

"Grandpa's not going to like this," Chris announced.

"Shh," Wyatt directed. Since Wyatt hadn't exactly told Victor everything he knew, but he thought he knew his grandpa enough to know they weren't going to have trouble from him, not if it meant saving their mom and aunts. "He will if Mom's in there and we get her out safely."

"He doesn't like magic," Chris reminded him. "He says it's too dangerous. He's not going to like this," Chris argued. "And if one of us gets hurt . . ."

"We won't," Wyatt assured him.

"And if Sam gets hurt?" Chris asked, bringing Sam into the conversation for the first time since the taxi dropped them off.

"Don't worry about me, Chris," Sam recommended. "I've done this many times before."

"But never against this demon," Chris persisted. "Mom and her sisters are the Charmed Ones. They are more powerful than any other witches . . . ever. And this demon has either kept them unconscious for seven years or even killed them seven years ago." Chris stared across the lawn at the Manor. "Not to mention been in a deadlock with Aunt Prue just as long."

"I'd get away from there, if I were you, kids," Mr. Trudeau's voice informed them as he stopped a few feet from them.

Sam looked over to see him, recognizing him as the man from the police office. He hoped that the man didn't make the same connection.

"It's dangerous," Mr. Trudeau continued. "As far as I can tell you are safe on the sidewalk, but don't approach the house."

The boys looked at each other. "We will be fine," Wyatt told him. "It's our home."

"Then, you know how dangerous it is," Mr. Trudeau commented. "Many people have died here over the years, but none more than in the last seven or so years."

"We know," Wyatt agreed. "Our great-grandmother had a heart attack in there. She died later in the hospital. Our aunt . . . but let's not go into that. Just know that we know."

"Why are you here?" Chris wanted to know.

"I am here, because my car broke down," he informed them pointing down the street behind him, "and I live on this street," he continued pointed in the opposite direction. "This house happens to be between my car and my own house. My son was friends with the girls who grew up her many years ago. He was among those who died here, too." There was pain in his eyes.

"Why did you stick around," Sam asked, "if the memories hurt so badly?"

"Because they're all I have left," he admitted. "Maybe there is a memory at every turn, but they're something of my Andy." He surveyed the small group and sighed. "If you aren't going to take my advice and get away from here, at least be careful."

Sam and both boys nodded. "We will," Wyatt assured him.

They watched silently as Mr. Trudeau walked away.

When he was out of sight, Sam looked at the front of the manor and then at the two boys on either side of him. "You don't have to stay," Sam informed them.

"We're staying," Chris announced.

"This is our family, our house," Wyatt reminded him. "We aren't leaving."

Sam nodded. "Then, we need to get around back. Now, that I know that women is possessed I should have no trouble dealing with her."

"Are you sure?" Chris asked concerned.

Sam nodded, again. "I've had plenty of practice. I need to be in the backyard so I can get closer once I start. The closer I am the more effective it is."

"If I orb you, how fast can you start?" Wyatt asked, thinking.

"Orb?"

"That's how we got you out the last two times," Chris informed, sounding a little proud.

"Oh," Sam thought about the disorientation he had experienced. "I think it will take at least several seconds. That was very disorienting."

"Not fast enough," Wyatt admitted. "I guess we will have to try the gate. If you can do something as soon as they are in visible range, you should be okay." There was a pause before Wyatt added, "I think."

"Great," Sam responded sarcastically. "No time."

* * *

There's a battle in the next chapter . . . Supernatural style with a little Charmed thrown into the mix. Has anyone figured out who the demon is possessing yet?

As to Mr. Trudeau showing up. I kind of imagined that the Trudeaus lived somewhere near the manor, though of course they didn't have to, but that's how I imagined it. So basically he was on his way home and his car broke down, so he walked the rest of the way and that's when he ran into Sam, Wyatt, and Chris. I had someone who didn't understand what happened there, so I figured I'd explain just in case.

Hope you are enjoying this. :)


	17. No Turning Back

First, thanks to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - Just for you. Enjoy.

Sam can't take Wyatt and Chris with him to the back. He has to do this alone . . . or so he thinks.

* * *

Chapter Sixteen - No Turning Back

Sam was apprehensive as he walked through the backyard of the Halliwell Manor. He was highly conscious of the fact that other than the two brothers no one had walked where he was walking and lived in over seven years.

He reached the corner of the house and exhaled slowly. It was make it or break it time and he couldn't afford to fail. Those two brothers were counting on him. The people inside didn't know it, but they were counting on him. The unknown people who might yet be killed in and around this house and its land were counting on him.

And if that wasn't enough pressure, he had to survive, because Dean was counting on him. And he wasn't going to let his brother down.

With that in mind Sam readied himself and turned that corner.

He felt fire burn in his chest, but he forced himself to ignore it. He had to. He reached up his hand with much difficulty and suddenly the demon possessed woman was flying at the wall and his heart no longer hurt. He kept walking as he forced her flush against the wall.

Prue watched him wearily, clearly unsure how to take this, and after seven years almost too tired to think. Sam ignored her and kept walking until he reached the door and tried to open it.

Sam let out a yelp and dropped both hands as the door burned him. The woman smirked at him and Sam felt his chest start burning, again, faster and hotter this time.

Prue waved her arm, giving Sam precious seconds to recover as the woman was thrown across the room. She recovered quickly, too quickly as was typical of those demons, but it was enough time for Sam. He held up his arm and she went sailing at the wall, unable to move as he concentrated on the demon inside her.

After several seconds black smoke started exciting through her mouth. Sam's body shook from the amount of power it required to fight her. The smoke suspended, tugging in and out as the demon was not willing to let go of its host and Sam was not willing to let her stay.

The battle seemed to go on forever and Sam could feel the strength being sapped out of him and then he felt his opposition give up. The black smoke excited the woman and both Sam and the woman slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Short, but I suspect it tells you a lot.

If you are curious why he lost consciousness when he didn't fighting Lilith, there's a few factors with that. Lilith knew she needed to die to break that seal, so she wasn't fighting as much as this demon. Also, this demon had been possessing the woman for seven years. In addition Sam killed Lilith _and_ her host (the dental hygentist I believe). Sam is trying not to kill the host here and that's taking a lot out of him. I know his saved a lot of host this way, but most of them had not been possessed as long as this woman.

Now, you're in for a shock. The next chapter is titled "Something's Not Right Here". That should tell you something.


	18. Something's Not Right Here

First, thanks to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - Here you go then.

DH1994 - Thank you. I appreciate that. And you are exactly correct about who she is.

ironyheartsap - Thank you. It's nice to hear that a story one is writing is not the same story everyone tells.

vrb18 - Well, you won't be finding out who the possessed woman is in this chapter. That will happen in the next one. In this one you are getting a bit of a surprise.

As I said, this chapter is not what you have been led to expect. Also be warned there is a slight language issue in this chapter.

* * *

Chapter Seventeen - Something's Not Right Here

Victor sat on his couch, uneasy. Wyatt had been rather vague about what was going on, but he had understood enough to know his grandsons were taking Sam to the Manor. That was enough to cause worry by itself, but the fact that Wyatt hadn't explained what was going on worried him more.

Pounding on the door stopped Victor in his thoughts. He sighed and got up when he reached the door he looked through the peephole. He didn't recognize the young man standing out there, so he left the chain on the door as he pulled it opened.

"Where's my brother?" The young man demanded.

"What?" Victor asked, confused. Maybe this guy had the wrong door.

"I said, where's my brother, damnit!" the young man repeated, more forceful this time. "They said he came here."

"I don't even know who your brother is," Victor protested.

"Sam," Dean informed him. "My brother is Sam Winchester. Now where is he?"

Victor stared at him shocked. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Dean frowned at him. "Who told you that?"

"Sam did."

Dean digested this quickly. "Then, he is here."

"No, he's not here," Victor countered. "He left."

"He thinks I'm dead," Dean repeated, the words hadn't quite sunk in. "The paramedics told me they never saw him. And he hasn't been answering his phone." He glanced around, as if expecting to see something. "Something strange is going on. Any chance you'll let me in or tell me where I can find him?"

Victor considered the stranger on the other side of the door. "What did you say your name was, son?"

"Dean, and I'm not your son." Dean scowled at him. "Sam. Where is Sam?"

"He's trying to help my grandsons," Victor told him slowly. "I think he's trying to rescue my daughters and my son-in-law."

Dean didn't like the sound of that. "Rescue? From what?"

Victor shook his head. "I don't know."

Dean groaned. He didn't like the sound of that. "Well, tell me where he is, so I can help out. I am not leaving my little brother to the mercy of some unknown foe. damnit! Tell me where he is."

Victor pushed the door closed and unchained it. He pulled the door opened enough to let Dean in. "Come in and we'll talk. I don't think there is anything you can do at this point. The boys would have contacted me if something went wrong and they've been gone over an hour, so whatever is going to happen is already over or going on now."

"Then, I have to get there," Dean informed him, not stepping one step forward. "Where is my brother?"

"There are some things you need to know before you get anywhere near that house," Victor informed him as he waited with the door opened.

Dean, deciding this man wasn't going to budge until he listened scowled and walked in.

Victor closed the door behind him.

* * *

In the next chapter it's back to the manor and finding out what's going on inside.


	19. Assessing the Situation

First, thanks to my reviewer:

PbJ - All will be explained (I think) by the end of the episode, but there definitely was something odd going on with the Winchester brothers.

AJ Winchester - Yes, Dean's back. But why did Sam think he was dead and why has it taken him two days to find Sam? Of course the fact that Sam had his car and all of Dean's possessions didn't help.

So what's going on at the manor now that the demon is gone? And for anyone who didn't guess the identity of the women the demon was possessing is revealed.

* * *

Chapter Eighteen - Assessing the Situation

With a quick glance at her sleeping brother-in-law, Prue walked away from her post for the first time in seven years. Holding the amulet up just in case, Prue walked slowly toward the young woman, Christy Jenkins if the demon possessing her told anything resembling the truth. Of course if could just have been a ploy to gain Prue's sympathy, those short glances of Christy. And now Christy lay flat on the floor, dead or alive, Prue didn't know. The black smoke that the young man in the back yard had forced out of Christy's mouth left Prue unsure of what to think. She had chosen to trust him, to help him with her waning strength if she could, but had that been the right choice?

She reached Christy and squatted down. It didn't take long to find a steady pulse under her fingers. So Christy was alive, but was she safe from possession or had the smoke meant something else?

Prue made her way back across the room and shook Leo. "Wake up, Leo. It's over."

Leo yawned and looked up at her. "Piper?"

"I don't know yet," she admitted. "I wanted to wake you first." She gave him a hand standing. "I did check the innocent. Christy is alive and I think she's no longer possessed." Prue glanced outside at where two boys ran to the side of the young man. "We may still have a problem though."

Leo stopped half way to his wife's side and looked at her. "A problem?"

"I've never tried to get out all these years, for obvious reasons," Prue reminded him, "but that young man over there," she pointed as she spoke, "touched the door and I think it burned him."

Leo followed her hand and he stared. Unlike Prue his attention was focused fully on the two boys, his boys. "Wyatt? Chris?" Torn between checking on his wife and seeing his sons, it only took a few seconds for the decision to be made and him to reach the door. Not remembering Prue's warning only seconds before, he winced in pain as he jerked back his hand from the door.

Sensing something Wyatt looked up. His eyes lit up at the sight of his dad. "Dad! Chris, it's Dad!"

Chris looked up and seeing Leo ran over to the door, stopping just short of touching it. "Daddy!"

Prue smiled as she looked up from where she was checking Piper's pulse. "Are those my nephews, Leo?" She reached over Piper and felt for Phoebe's pulse. As with first Christ and then Piper, it was strong. Her spell had worked.

She looked beyond Phoebe at her other sister, the one she didn't know. Paige. There was a world of everything in that name, so many questions with so much pain, betrayal, and love. She didn't know her youngest sister, it was true, but she had watched her. At first it was with the weary eyes that one gives an invader, but soon she came to care about the quirky girl who just so happened to also be her sister.

Unable to check Paige from where she was, Prue got up and walked around her other two sisters. Once she was close enough, she squatted down next to her and felt for a pulse. Finding a steady one, she looked up at Leo and his boys. She smiled as she watched them before standing and walking over to them. "They are alive and appear to be fine. Of course most of their injuries are going to still be there, since the spell didn't fix anything, just put everything on pause."

Prue smiled at her nephews. "So you're the nephews I have heard so much about. I bet I can guess who's who." She turned first to Wyatt. "You look like Leo, so you must be Wyatt."

Wyatt grinned and nodded.

"Do me!" Chris demanded.

Prue laughed at his enthusiasm. "Well, you certainly look like a Halliwell and more importantly, like Piper, so you must be Chris."

"Yay!" Chris giggled. "You're right. How'd you know?"

"You're pretty much all your dad talks about," Prue informed him.

The boys grinned at Leo.

"You can tell he misses you very much," Prue added. She hesitated a moment before asking, "How's Dad?"

Chris looked at her puzzled. "Dad?"

Wyatt glanced a Leo, but said nothing.

"My dad," Prue explained. "Leo said they left you two with him when my sisters went to face Zankou, so how is he? I couldn't exactly check on him while I was here."

"Grandpa's good," Wyatt informed her, solemnly.

"He's the best grandpa in the world!" Chris announced more excitedly.

Prue smiled at him. "Glad to hear it." Moving on she glanced down at Sam. "And who is that?"

"That's Sam," Wyatt informed her.

"He's a demon hunter," Chris added. He had found that bit of info quite interesting. Chris looked inside at his dad. "Can we get in yet?"

Prue closed her eyes and focused on the outside. Nothing happened, so just to check she focused across the room and astral projected herself there. She looked across the room at herself and shook her head. "I would have to say no. I'm afraid there were a lot of spells cast of the last few years, trying to protect, trying to trap. Apparently they held pretty well, because they are still in place." She returned to her body and sighed. "And I'm not messing with the ones around my sisters until I can get someone in here to heal them. They were pretty badly injured when I found them."

Chris waved his arm at the glass door and nothing happened. It didn't even shake. He sighed. "And this one?"

"That was the demon possessing Christy," Prue admitted, "though I think it was Christy that had the power. I gather she's a witch."

"Does your grandfather know where you boys are?" Leo asked suddenly.

"Yes," the boys replied in unison.

Leo eyed them silently.

"Yes," Chris repeated.

"I told him," Wyatt added.

"Do either of you have a cell phone?" Prue asked, as she began to pace.

Chris dug his hands into his pockets and pulled them out to show empty pockets.

Wyatt just shook his head.

"And does he?" Prue asked, pointing at Sam.

Wyatt shrugged.

Chris, however, got down on his knees and started digging through Sam's pockets. He pulled out a cell phone and held it up.

Wyatt just groaned as his little brother handed him the phone.

"You know the number," Chris reminded him.

Wyatt took the phone and started dialing.

* * *

So what is going to be the reaction when those at the Manor find out about Dean and and Dean's to the news that his brother is knocked out.


	20. A Little Bit of Good News

First, thanks to my reviewers:

AJ Winchester - Thank you.

vrb18 - As Sam isn't currently conscious, you'll have to be content with Dean's reaction to the fact that Sam was knocked out depossessing someone. You'll get Sam's reaction soon though.

Wyatt's calling Victor and Dean's going to want to know what's up with his brother.

* * *

Chapter Nineteen - A Little Bit of Good News

Dean stared across the room at Victor. He was a little stunned at everything he'd been told. And since Victor didn't know what prompted this latest trip across town, he was extremely worried about his little brother. "Witches," he mumbled.

"Don't you go on about that, too," Victor ordered. "My girls are about as far from evil as can be."

"Says their dad," Dean retorted. "Excuse me if I don't take the words of a parent. I've never run into a good witch."

"You've never run into my daughters now have you?" Victor challenged.

Dean scowled. "Which says what, that they are the only good witches in the world?"

"Maybe all it says is that you hunt evil, and the good witches stay off your radar," Victor suggested.

Dean was silent for several seconds. Before he could reply again, the phone rang and Victor got up. He grabbed the phone.

Before he could say anything, Wyatt's voice came over the phone. "Hi, grandpa. It's Wyatt."

"Are you all right?" Victor asked, concerned that they felt the need to call instead of just coming home. "Is Chris?"

"Uh, huh," Wyatt agreed. "We're fine."

"Where are you?" Victor asked, glancing at his visitor.

"The backyard." It was hard for Wyatt to keep the excitement out of his voice at those two words."

"Of the manor?" Victor asked, a little stunned. "I thought I told you . . ."

"We're fine," Wyatt interrupted. "Sam took care of the demon, so the backyard is safe now. Or as safe as it ever was before."

"Sam," Victor repeated in surprise, "took care of the demon?"

Dean looked at him startled. "Put Sam on," he demanded, making a grab for the phone.

Victor frowned at him. Still, "Wyatt, can you put Sam on the phone. His brother . . . he's alive and he's worried about Sam."

"Are you sure, it's really his brother?" Wyatt asked worried. "Sam seemed pretty sure Dean was dead."

"As sure as I can be, never having met him before, I suppose," Victor replied glancing over at Dean, who stared anxiously at the phone. "It seems as likely as Sam being who he said he was."

Wyatt sighed. "Yeah, I guess."

"So would you put Sam on?"

"Can't," Wyatt informed him. "He's pretty drained and he lost consciousness."

"Is he all right?"

Dean made another grab at the phone. "Give me the phone. I need to talk to my brother."

"Your brother is knocked out," Victor informed him.

"That's it," Dean announced, dropping the hand that was grabbing at the phone and heading toward the door. "I am not sitting around doing nothing while my brother needs me." He was almost to the door when he groaned and turned around. "You still haven't told me where he is.

Victor walked over to the coat hanger by the door. "Come on. I'll give you a ride." He put on his jacket and pulled out his keys.

Dean looked at him through squinted eyes. "Why won't you tell me where to go?"

Victor glanced over at him and shrugged. "Your brother got lost trying to find it. I need to go over there myself, so I figured I'll spare you the trouble."

Dean sighed, relenting. "Fine. Let's go."

"Did you hear all that, Wy?" Victor asked, realizing he still held the phone.

"Yes, Grandpa," his grandson replied quickly. "I'll see you soon. Be careful."

* * *

So what will happen when Victor and Dean arrive at the manor. Dean's worried about his brother and Victor hasn't seen any of his daughters in seven years.


	21. One Spell at a Time

First, thanks to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - Here you go then, another chapter.

Again, a minor bit of language. It just seems to be in character under the circumstances for Dean Winchester.

* * *

Chapter Twenty - One Spell at a Time

Victor reached the manor and pulled into the driveway. It had been so long since he last came here. It had been too dangerous. And now here he was.

Dean was out of the car almost before it stopped and almost to the backyard by the time Victor had it off and his belt undone. He ran around the back and ignoring everyone else dropped to his brother's side and shook him. "Come on, Sammy boy. Wake up! Wake up, damnit! You have to wake up."

Wyatt stared at him bemused.

"Does that answer your question?" Victor asked, coming up behind his grandsons.

Wyatt nodded and inclined his head in the direction of the manor.

Chris turned around and gave Victor a hug.

Looking over his younger grandson's head, Victor's eyes widened at the sight of his oldest daughter standing just inside. "Prudence."

Prue smiled. "Hi, Dad. It's really good to see you."

"Really?" Things had been more of a tentative truce before she died.

She grinned and nodded. "Really."

"Why are you still inside?" Victor asked as he approached the door.

"Don't come any closer," she warned.

Victor stopped and frowned.

"The demon's gone," she conceded, "but the spells the demon cast are still intact. We're trying to find a way to counter them, so we can get out of her, but so far nothing has worked.

"I think we're going to just have to wait until Christy wakes up," Prue admitted, "and hope she knows what kind of spells the demon cast."

"Well, I don't care about a demon now that it's gone," Dean declared. "Why won't my brother wake up? What was that demon?"

Prue snorted. "Make up your mind. Either you care or you don't."

"Fine," Dean said rising. "I care. Are you happy? My brother doesn't get knocked out when he fights demons that possess people. That's easy for him. So what was different about this one?"

"Not knowing what you are usually up against and not having spoken to him . . . at all," Prue began, "I have no way of knowing. All I know is that this one possessed a witch named Christy for seven years and when you brother did . . . whatever it was that he did he fought with a black smoke coming out of her mouth for several minutes."

Dean grimaced. "Anything else?"

"The demon was pretty mad at my sisters for vanquishing the Woogie in the basement," Prue informed him.

"The . . . what?" Dean stared at her. "Is that some sort of demon?"

"You have a little brother," Prue stated. "Well, my baby sister decided that the demon in the basement was the boogey monster. Except my little sister couldn't say 'Boogey Monster' at the time, so it became 'Woogie Monster' and that got shortened to . . ."

"Woogie," Dean finished. "Weird."

A moan from Sam had Dean running to his side. "Come on, Sammy."

Sam blinked open his eyes and looked up. "Dean?"

"Sam!" Dean exclaimed, thankfully. "You're awake!"

Sam stared at him in disbelief. "Dean? But you're dead."

"Not last I checked," Dean retorted. "Care to explain why the paramedics couldn't find you?"

"I . . . paramedics?" Sam looked at him funny. "I didn't see any paramedics, just . . . just police and the M. E. They said no one else survived. How can that be, it you are fine? Are you saying no one died?"

"Oh, people died," Dean conceded, "but not everyone and actually not a lot of people. There were a lot of survivors."

"Then, what's going on?" Sam asked bewildered. "The trickster, again?"

"I don't know," Dean admitted. "Maybe, though this doesn't quite seem to be his style."

Sam pushed himself to his feet. "Is the host all right?" he asked Prue.

"She's alive," was all Prue could answer.

Sam nodded. "That's good." He walked over to the door. "I can't go in, can I?"

Prue shook her head. "I'm afraid not. We've tried all sorts of spells, but it just seems like it's going to be up to her to uncast the spell the demon used her to cast."

"Speaking of which, I hear something from her," Leo announced as he walked away from where he had been talking with his sons and toward Christy.

Prue joined him and got down next to the young witch.

Christy yawned before she did anything else. Then, she opened first one eye than the other. A puzzled expression crossed her face. "I'm me." There was almost a question in her voice. She pushed her arms back and tried to sit up. She winced as pain shot through her right arm. "Well, isn't that nice," she retorted. "I guess I'll take it, if it means that . . . thing . . . is gone." She looked at Prue. "You're . . . Oh, I am so sorry. She was rather cruel to you, wasn't she? Are you all right?"

"In case you missed it, I'm dead," Prue informed her.

Christy nodded. "Yes, but she . . . she still seemed to think she could hurt you. I'm glad you're not." She used her left arm to prop herself up. "And this is real? She kept pushing me away into some sort of fantasy world, as if I was so much garbage. She had a nasty sense of humor, let me tell you. I starred as the villain and I had no control. It was always the same stuff. I was kidnapped by demons and by the end of it, my own sister killed me because I tried to kill her." She sighed as she gave up trying to stand. "Mind giving me a hand? I'm pretty sure you broke my arm. Hopefully nothing else. I guess I should be glad you didn't kill me. You could have, I imagine."

Prue didn't comment as she helped Christy get to her feet. She'd known very early on that a demon was possessing an innocent. After that it had never been an option to kill Christy and she hadn't known how to keep the demon out of Christy. She'd even tried the spell for the Woogie once and the demon had just mocked her. "Any chance you know the reversal to the spell the demon cast?"

Christy nodded. "I think so. I'm afraid I was never that good with spells. That was always my sister. She doesn't have any active powers, so she focused on those. I think I can do this though." She looked around. "Do you have something I can write on? I want to see if it looks right before I cast it."

"Sure," Prue pointed at a writing desk. "You should find what you need in there."

"Thanks." Christy headed over there.

Prue headed back to the outer doors. "Christy thinks she knows the spell."

Leo exhaled slowly. "Good. The spell you cast on my helped, but I really need to eat something. It's been days since I managed to eat anything and even with that spell, I'm starting to feel it. Keep an eye up here for me, would you."

Prue nodded. "Sure. Bring extra. I imagine when I uncast the one I cast on my sisters, they're going to be pretty hungry, too."

As Leo walked toward the kitchen, Wyatt looked at Prue funny. "What did you do to Mom anyway?"

"I cast a spell to stop them, basically," she informed him. "They don't eat, sleep, breath, bleed, age. Their hearts beat, which is kind of odd since they don't bleed. Otherwise they are just stopped in time. I've had to recast it several times over the years and since they were unconscious when I found them, it sometimes took a while for me to notice. Over the years there injuries have no doubt worsened and they are probably hungry."

"So if you did nothing, eventually they would wake up?"

Prue nodded. "I hope. That last battle took its toll on them. I just hope it can be fixed."

Christy came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. "Here's the spells, both the original and the counter. See if it looks right. I have no reason to believe she could write a spell."

"Other than a house we can't get out of," Prue commented with a raised eyebrow mirroring an action her sister Piper did all the time.

Christy chuckled. "Yeah, other than that."

Prue took the paper and silently looked at the first spell. On the paper it read, "Fire from within my soul, circle round this humble home. Close every gap and hole. Do not let these people roam." Crude, effective, and very specific. After a quick glance at the counter she handed it back to Christy. "You'll have to cast it."

Christy took the paper back and sighed. She nodded. "Let's hope this works." Holding the paper up so she could read, she chanted, "Fire from within my soul, depart now from around this home. Open every gap and hole. Let these people freely roam."

* * *

So will Christy's spell work?

Don't expect this Billie and Christy to be the same as the ones on Charmed, they aren't. For one, Christy was not kidnapped as a child. She grew up with Billie and they grew up learning witch craft from their mom. I will leave alone the idea that Helen Jenkins had no powers, because that doesn't effect my story. Maybe she did; maybe she didn't. Since my story assumes that season eight was all a dream in the collective minds of Christy, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige (as you will see soon enough), anything following the season seven finale cannot be counted as canon for this story.


	22. How It All Went Wrong

First a thank you to my reviewers:

AJ Winchester - Thank you.

vrb18 - Well, this story came out of a converstation on charmedsons, a proboards site I'm on, where we were discussing season eight, most members wishing (or believing) that it doesn't exist/isn't canon. In another thread we were talking about how it would be cool to have a Supernatural/Charmed crossover. I decided to combine the two ideas and made this story.

There are a lot of flashbacks in this chapter. It is my altered version of what happened at the end of season seven, how everyone ended up trapped in the manor.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One - How It All Went Wrong

For several seconds no one did anything. Then Chris reached out his hand and grasped the door handle.

Nothing happened.

He turned the knob and pulled it open. With a big grin he walked into the manor and hurled himself at his dad as Leo reentered the room. "Daddy!"

The cans in Leo's arms dropped to the ground and rolled all over the place.

Following suit, Wyatt followed after his little brother and hugged both of them as best his short child's arms could manage. "Dad!"

After several long seconds, Wyatt reluctantly let go of his dad and his brother to walk over to where his mom lay on the floor. He turned to face Prue. "Aunt Prue, would you wake them, please. I'm this close. I want my mom back."

Prue sighed. "We need to get a whitelighter here, because they are going to need healing. Being dead I wouldn't call one, but you're a witch. You should be able to call yours here."

Wyatt looked at her surprised. "You don't know?" Turning to Leo, he asked, "How does she not know?" There was accusation in his voice as he added, "I thought she said Chris and I were all you talked about."

Prue frowned. "What are you talking about? You are all he talked about."

"Then, how can you not know that I can heal?" he wanted to know.

Prue looked sharply at Leo. "What's this? How? They're not whitelighters. I know Paige helped you heal Cole that one time, but it required you to do it. How could your son possibly be able to heal when he is no more a whitelighter than my sister is?"

"We can talk about that later," Leo suggested. "Right now let's just stick with the fact that he's right. He can heal and we need to wake them up. It's been seven years, Prue."

"Eleven for me," Prue whispered in return as she stared down at her sisters. "You're right. I've got a spell to uncast."

"Who was the worst off?" Wyatt asked as he got down on his knees near them.

* * *

_Piper and Paige are passed out on a couch. Phoebe is in a chair across from them. Suddenly all three sisters gasp and sit up._

"Ah, the astral projection worked," Paige commented panting.

"Thank you, Prue," Piper breathed, thinking about her lost sister.

Unbeknownst to them, Prue was watching, a smile on her lips as she heard Piper's words. So far so good, she thought.

"The book," Phoebe announced as she pushed herself to a standing position.

* * *

As soon as they reached the attic, they headed toward the Book of Shadows. If their plan was going to work, they were going to need all the help they could get and the Book was vital to them. Running across the room they stopped in front of the Book. Phoebe and Paige stood on either side of Piper and the clasped hands.

"Okay," Phoebe announced, breathing a little harder than usual. "This may be the last time we have to say this."

"I'll hold you to it," Piper assured her.

As one they began to chant, "The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three will set us free."

They let go of each other's hands and touched the book. When nothing happened Piper opened it and started looking through it. The sound of sirens from the street stopped her and she headed toward the window.

"What?" Phoebe asked as she and Paige headed over there with her.

They all looked out the attic windows at the cars and SWAT van converging on the street in front of the house. They watched as men jumped out of the SWAT van and ran toward harbored places in front of the house carrying guns.

They saw Agent Keyes amidst the group giving out orders and as he looked up it was clear that he spotted them.

"What the hell happened?" Paige asked, staring down onto the street.

"I don't know," Phoebe admitted. "But if they come in here before we get Zankou, it's going to be a bloodbath."

"Come on," Piper directed, "we gotta find that spell."

They walked away from the windows, Piper carrying the Book, just as Zankou appeared in flames.

"I underestimated you," he informed them in an annoyed voice. "It won't happen, again." He threw an energy ball at them.

Paige orbed them out and it went right through where they had been standing.

* * *

Within moments, Zankou flamed in and found them in the basement chanting. "Natum adai necral . . ."

Zankou waved his hands and the sisters flew across the basement crashing into some boxes. He stepped down from the stairs where he had appeared and stepped closer to the hole in the floor. "It's too late," he announced to them. "You can't take the Nexus. It has been in me. It knows me now. I should have done this before."

As they got up he turned his back on them and started chanting. "Natum adai necral. Daya intay layok."

The hole in the floor lit up and the shadow rose out of it. Not the Nexus, for it has never been the Nexus, always the shadow, always Phoebe's "Woogieman". And the spell they had was designed not to destroy the Nexus, but to vanquish the one being who had resided within the Nexus for so very long. The shadow approached Zankou and stopped just in front of his face. He waited patiently as a moment later the Shadow entered him through his eyes. His task complete he turned around and faced them, his eyes black.

The girls stood there waiting.

"You can't stop me now," he announced in an unnatural voice.

"No?" Paige queried.

"Watch us," Piper suggested.

As one the girls read the spell that Paige produced out of her pocket. "From ancient times, this power came, for all to have, but none to reign."

Zankou began to flash black and red and pain showed on his face as he screamed in that unnatural tone, "No!"

"Take it now, show no mercy, for this power can no longer me," they finished up.

Zankou turned redder and redder as the Shadow within him was vanquished and it was taking him with it. He screamed.

All around them wind blew from nowhere and the sisters grasped hands, holding on as if to anchor themselves.

"This is it!" Phoebe exclaimed.

As Zankou exploded the power washed over the three sisters, decimating the basement around them.

* * *

It was several minutes later when Phoebe pushed herself out of the debris. "Well, that was fun. Let's not do it, again."

"Is he really gone?" Paige asked, looking at the gaping hole in the basement floor.

"Zankou and the Woogie, too," Phoebe grinned. "I used to be terrified of that thing. It's good to know it's gone for good.

"Let's get out of here," Piper suggested. "I'm going to hate leaving here, but there's no way we can stay, not with every cop and his dog out there."

Paige nodded. "I guess it's really o . . ."

Piper and Phoebe turned to face her startled and found no one there.

"Paige?" Phoebe asked confused.

"Paige!" Piper exclaimed at the same time, scared. A glow surrounded her as she astral projected back into her body in her bedroom. Something had prevented them from leaving the manor and there was no time to figure out what, not with Zankou fast on their trail.

* * *

Piper and Phoebe may not have known what happened to Paige, but Prue saw it all. She didn't feel the need to watch her sisters fight Zankou, but their bodies, that had scared her. When she had suggested the idea to Leo and given him the spell she hadn't thought about their bodies. And ever since they started using it, she'd thought of nothing else.

She watched as Piper returned to her body and looked around the room.

Next to Piper, Phoebe was doing the same thing. There was no sign of Paige, but Prue had seen what had happened. Piper and Phoebe could handle the immediate problem, but Paige was going to need medical help and fast. Since her sisters no longer had a whitelighter and she was dead, there was only one person she could think to turn to.

Having no idea that Prue had been there, Piper ran out of the room into the hall. She saw the back of a woman walking down the hall toward Paige. Paige lay in a heap against the wall as if she'd been slammed into it.

Piper waved her arms and the woman froze in her tracks. There wasn't time to figure out if this was a demon or just an evil human. There was only time to stop her from getting any closer to Paige. "Phoebe, she's hurt!"

Phoebe reached Paige not long after Piper did. "We can't orb with Paige knocked out," Phoebe muttered. "Not that it would do any good when we can't even orb out of the house," she retorted. She stopped and looked over at Piper, concern written on her face. "She is only knocked out, right?"

Piper nodded.

"We're surrounded," Phoebe added, unnecessarily.

"Let's just get Paige away from here first," Piper ordered.

"Her neck," Phoebe protested. "They always say . . ."

"'They' didn't have a demon just down the hall," Piper reminded her as she squatted down next to Paige and lifted her into her arms.

"I can't premonition the demon away, you know," Phoebe reminded her.

"You also can't lift Paige," Piper shot back. "Let's go."

They were almost to the end of the hall when they heard noises behind them.

"She's coming," Phoebe moaned.

"Get in front of me," Piper ordered. "You can move faster."

Phoebe moved as fast as she could around Piper and headed down the stairs. Hoping there was some way out of the backyard she headed toward the conservatory.

There she was met by the woman from upstairs. Her eyes flashed black and she laughed evilly at Phoebe. "Thought you lost me did you?" She formed fire in her hands and threw it at Phoebe.

Phoebe only barely managed to avoid her.

* * *

Prue forced her body to materialize not far from Leo. In the middle of a crowd, no one would really think about whom she was or what she was doing her. She was just anonymous. She managed to reach Leo quickly. He was walking away from the front line looking concerned and disappointed. Prue met up with him and tapped him on the shoulder.

Leo turned around to look at who had done this. He figured someone had just jostled him in the crowd. Seeing Prue, his eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something.

She covered his mouth with her hand. "No time. Zankou's gone, but another demon is attacking. Paige is injured and something is keeping them from orbing out. I had to astral project and even now I can feel something pulling me back. Paige needs medical attention and I don't know what might be happening while I'm gone. You have to hurry."

* * *

When Prue returned to her "body" such as it was, she heard noises from downstairs. Not needing to walk she moved downstairs and headed toward the conservatory. She was just in time to see Piper slammed into wall, head first. Prue flung her arm out, sending the woman into the wall.

The woman scrambled to her feet quickly, too quickly. "Ah, the missing sister. You think you're so good. Well, what did my brother ever do to you?"

"Prue!" Phoebe exclaimed stunned. "How'd you . . ?"

"Not now," Prue ordered. "Get out of here. One of you has to and you're the only one still standing."

"I can't just leave you here," Phoebe insisted as she ducked another flame.

"Listen to me!" the woman yelled at them. "Listen to me. You freaking witches! Listen to me. You really think I'm going to let you murderers get away? Even now my spell is closing down this house, none of you will escape."

The slam of a door told Prue that either Leo had managed to find a way in or else the invasion of the SWAT team had begun.

The woman screamed at them in anger and flames spiraled away from her.

Prue grabbed Phoebe and pulled her over to where Piper and Paige lay in a heap. She held up an amulet that swung around her neck. She had intended to give it to Piper or Phoebe years ago. It had belonged to a witch that had been murdered. Phoebe hadn't been speaking to Cole at the time and so he had shoved the amulet into Prue's hand along with a white orb. He'd told her he needed the orb protected and that the necklace was the one he stolen from Leeza. Prue had been too stunned to respond.

She had died with it shoved in her pocket and she had been buried with it around her neck. Now, she held it up to protect her sisters. A blue shield went all around them and the fire past by them scorching everything in its path. She heard screams behind her and she shook. Innocents were dying and there was nothing she could do. The flames continued to separate around her and her sisters; the only thing protecting them was the amulet and the shield it created.

And then the flames were gone. The woman glared at Prue. "You know, you aren't part of this. And you're dead. Get out here and I won't stop you. There's still a little time before this house is completely closed off."

"You don't know me very well, if you think I'll abandon my sisters," Prue proclaimed.

"Your sisters killed my brother," the woman announced shooting flames at the still conscious Phoebe who managed to duck.

"I didn't know Zankou had a sister," Phoebe commented as she looked for something to use as a weapon.

"What do I care about Zankou?" the woman retorted. "I mean my brother, the shadow who lived here."

Phoebe froze and turned to look at her. "The Woogie was your brother?"

That was all she needed to send a flame careening at Phoebe. Phoebe didn't notice it in time to do more than avoid getting hit somewhere deadly.

Leo walked into the room just as Phoebe fell to the ground. His mouth dropped. "Piper!"

"Leo! Behind me," Prue called, keeping her eyes on the woman. She could see blood starting to pool under Phoebe's leg and splinters making a line up her thigh in line with the tear in her clothes and the seemingly deep cut in her sister's leg. Phoebe must have hit something on the way down. While there wasn't anything in immediate evidence with Piper or Paige, both were still out cold.

Something had to be done and quick. Prue's mind was working in over time, trying to come up with something she could do. She couldn't call a whitelighter. Even had she had that ability, it seemed unlikely they would be able to come at this point. She couldn't get to any first aid materials. The possessed woman, for with the claim that the Woogie was her brother, she was convinced that the woman she was fighting was indeed possessed, would finish off her sisters before she could get anywhere. She had no way of transporting them anywhere and at this point she didn't even think she could leave. There was no potion to use and everything seemed to tell her that she had to stay put.

That meant the only thing available to her was spells. She could use her powers as a ghost, but could she cast a spell? Unfortunately the only way to find out was to cast one and once she started doing that, the demon was going to react and there was no way to predict how.

A blast of fire came at her. She lifted the amulet in time to fend it off. That amulet wasn't going to hold forever. How was she supposed to fend off a demon and protect her sisters at the same time, especially when she couldn't kill the demon for fear of harming the host?

She looked down at her sisters. How she wanted Piper to make some sort of potion that would disconnect this demon from its host. Her eyes widened as a thought occurred to her. Phoebe, why can't you be awake. What is the spell for the Woogie? It was no good. Phoebe was out and she had to think, think hard. It had always been Phoebe who knew that spell. But hadn't she seen Piper freeze the demon? And hadn't she been unable to freeze the Woogie? Oh, who cared, it was a chance and the demon herself had claimed the connection. If it was true, hopefully this would work. And if it wasn't at least she was trying something. How had it begun? "I am light."

"What?" the demon looked at her befuddled. "What are you mumbling about?"

"I am one too strong to fight," Prue pressed on.

"Are you kidding me?" she mocked. "This is just insulting." She threw a stream of fire at Prue.

Prue used her eyes to redirect the flow of the flame. Behind her she heard Leo's gasp.

He was on the ground, trying to do something for her sisters. He'd ripped a strip off his shirt and was wrapping it around Phoebe's injured leg, trying to make a tourniquet.

"Return to dark where shadows dwell," Prue continued. "You cannot have this Halliwell."

"This is ridiculous," the demon scowled. "I am better than this. And I don't want you. I just want them."

"Go away and leave my sight," Prue chanted at her. Nothing seemed to be happening, but she wasn't going to stop until she knew for sure. "And take with you this endless night."

Nothing happened.

Or nothing, except the demon laughed at her. "Did you really think that would banish me?" She laughed. "Let me tell you a thing or two. I'm stronger than he was. I am better than he was. I won't fall like he did. Leave them to me and I will allow both of you to leave."

"Never!" Prue vowed. "You will not get my sisters."

"Then, I'll just wait," she shrugged her shoulders. "There wounds appear to be damaging enough to kill eventually. Maybe they'll get an infection. You can't win."

"No?" Prue queried, unknowingly mirroring Paige's question earlier to Zankou. Loosing wasn't an option, but until she found a way, she was going to have to find some way to stop her sisters from getting worse and the only option she had was a spell. She took one last look at her sisters and started chanting, hoping the words she was trying to form in her mind worked the way she wanted them to. "All around you time flies by. For you time says good-bye. Safe until time starts, again, protected from immortal men. Wounds do not with time progress. Breathing stops, lives regress. When it ends lives renew. All that stopped, begins anew."

* * *

Lots of flashbacks there. Also my "explanation" about the nexus, since I've never talked to anyone who told me they thought it made sense for that to be the nexus and not the shadow/woogie.

There's another surprise coming.


	23. Body Count

First a thank you to my reviewers:

AJ Winchester - Enjoy.

vrb18 - Considering I am more or less rewriting the end of season eight to suit my story, I figured I'd better explain what I did and didn't do, and since it all happened seven years before this story began, best to do it with flashbacks. Glad it explained a lot for you. I couldn't do any of them sooner, because the people who knew what happened where in the manor. They are trying to figure out how to wake the sisters and that will be dealt with soon, but . . . well you'll see.

For seven years, Prue and Leo have been in the manor and most of the time conscious, but rarely did they leave the room they were in, and Prue never did. Had they done so they would have seen something they didn't expect.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two - Body Count

It had worked. And seven years later she had to find a way to uncast it. It had run out more than once over the years, but she'd never thought beyond casting it, again. Well, she had managed to come up with a spell then, she could do it now. She scribbled the spell on the paper Christy had returned to her and then scratched it all out. She sighed and looked at the words she had written even if it was hard with all the black lines through them, but she knew the words by heart.

Looking down at her sisters she tried to form a spell in her mind, but nothing came to her.

"Eek!" Christy's voice squealed from down the hall. "Someone get in here quick!"

Prue glanced down at her sisters and started running toward Christy's voice. As she got closer a pungent aroma hit her nose. She held her nose as she continued to run into the front hall. Her mouth dropped as she saw maybe a dozen men and women in SWAT uniforms lying unmoving on the floor in the front hall. "How?"

"I think your spell did more than you knew," Christy mumbled. "Are they from seven years ago?"

"They have to be," Prue admitted. "But if it affected them, then why didn't it affect Leo?"

"Well, your spell did talk about injuries," Christy commented. "As far as I know your brother-in-law didn't have any. These . . ." She stared down at charred uniforms and burned bodies. While most of them were well preserved and most likely just barely holding on to life, there were two bodies that clearly had decayed over the years. "I killed them, didn't I?"

"Not you," Prue shot back, plugging her nose, again. "The demon."

Christy nodded. "I got to get out of here. Do you think they have a phone I can use?"

Prue nodded. "Yeah. Do you have a whitelighter I can use? With this many injured, I don't think my nephew has enough time to heal them all."

Christy nodded. "Hopefully she can still hear me." She looked up and called out, "Lydia!"

Seconds ticked by and a middle aged woman with a concerned look on her face appeared. "Christy?"

Christy grinned broadly. "Hi, Lydia."

"I haven't been able to sense you," Lydia scolded her.

Christy nodded. "I know. I'll tell you all about it later, right now, can you help out." She gestured to all the people on the ground.

Lydia gasped. "What happened here?"

"A very angry demon," Prue retorted. "Right now, I have them under a spell, or at least I think I do, so I'm going to have to undo that."

Lydia ignored her and got down next to one of the men. She held her hands over him and to Prue and Christy's shock a golden glow covered her hands and the burns on the man's face began to heal.

"Just like that you undo my spell," Prue looked at her bemused.

Lydia smiled as she waved a hand over the man's face. "I healed you spell. Whatever it was seems to stop most body functions without killing. All I did was restart them. He should sleep for a while. I would suggest you let me deal with them. Christy, your family will want to know you are alive."

Christy smiled. "Yes, thank you, Lydia."

Prue and Christy headed out of the room, but they were stopped by Lydia's voice. "You're dead, aren't you?"

Prue stopped and turned around. "Yes, ma'am. Eleven years now."

Lydia shook her head. "And how long have you been walking around as one of the living?"

"Seven years," Prue replied. "My sisters needed me."

Lydia glanced at the bodies around her.

Prue shook her head. "They're in the back. I didn't know about these, only about my sisters. I haven't left them alone in all that time."

"Returning won't be easy for you," Lydia commented.

Prue shook her head. "No, it won't, but I've done what I came here to do. I'll do what I must."

Lydia nodded and moved to the next SWAT member. "See that you remember that."

Prue frowned, unsure what Lydia meant. When there was no further explanation she headed back to her sisters. She saw Wyatt look up as she entered.

"Do you have the spell?"

Prue shook her head. "See if you can heal them without one."

Wyatt blinked in surprise and nodded. He got down next to his mom and held his hands over her. To his surprise a warm golden glow covered his hands.

_

* * *

_

Clearly if Paige is _not_ the Jenkins' whitelighter and they grew up with magic then there probably was some other whitelighter in the mix, so I made Lydia.

Wyatt is able to heal Piper, so will that be enough to wake her?


	24. Hugs, Kisses, and Puppy Dog Tails

First a thank you to my reviewers:

AJ Winchester - Enjoy.

vrb18 - I'm glad you think so.

I had some fun with this chapter, especially the part the accounts for the last part of the chapter title. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three - Hugs, Kisses, and Puppy Dog Tails

Everyone waited silently as Wyatt healed his mom.

When Piper opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was small hands over her eyes. Her voice came out in a whisper as she asked, "What happened?"

"Mommy!" Chris exclaimed, hurling himself once more, this time at Piper.

Piper looked at him stunned. "Chris? Baby, is that you?"

Wyatt's lip quivered as a smiled pulled at his face. He wanted to give his mom a hug, too, but that could wait. He moved over to concentrate on Paige.

Leo got down on his knees next to his wife and younger son. "Piper. Oh, Piper." He smiled.

Piper hugged them both to her and looked around her. She saw her older son holding healing hands over Paige. She heard a soft moan coming from her youngest sister.

And then she saw her.

"Prue!" Piper let go of her husband and son and scrambled to her feet. "You're here!" she exclaimed as she stared at her big sister, her long lost best friend.

Prue smiled at her and accepted the tight hug with one of her own.

"Are you . . ?" Piper couldn't finish the question.

"I'm still dead," Prue admitted. "You needed me. I wasn't going to let you down. I don't know what's going to happen now. It's been so long."

"Prue?" Phoebe's voice asked from where she now sat on the floor. "You weren't a mirage earlier?"

Next to her Paige was rubbing her neck and looking around. At Phoebe's words, she followed Phoebe's eyes. "Prue?" She stared at her for several seconds trying to take in what she was seeing. "Oh, my word, that's . . . that's Prue!"

Piper laughed and pulled Prue along with her as she returned to Phoebe and Paige. Once they stopped, Piper turned to Prue. "You said it's been a long time. A long time since what?"

"Since she stepped in between you and the demon possessing me," Christy informed her as she reentered the room. "Can anyone lend me a cell phone?"

The boys looked over at Victor. "Grandpa?" Chris asked.

Victor pulled out his cell phone and handed it to Christy. "Exactly who is she?" Victor whispered the question to his younger grandson.

Chris shrugged.

Christy took the phone from Victor and wrinkled her nose trying to remember the number she wanted to call. A smile lit her face and she punched in some numbers. "Hi, Billie?" Her grin grew. "Yeah, it's Christy." She chuckled a little. "Yeah, I am."

"Piper?"

Piper turned away from staring at Christy to look at Prue. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

Piper shook her head. "Can we trust her? I seem to remember her trying to kill us."

Prue nodded. "She was possessed by a demon." Prue pointed in Sam's general direction. "The mop haired one got rid of the demon. Apparently the Woogie had an over protective sister."

"The Woogie had a sister?" Piper asked with a touch of disbelief.

"A really mad one," Phoebe agreed remembering the events just prior to being knocked out. "Was that all a dream? Billie, the triad, . . ." she looked over where Christy was on the phone, "Christy?"

Prue sighed. "All I know about that is that Christy said she kept being pulled into some fantasy world where she was the villain."

"That's the one," Phoebe agreed. "I'm not sure what to think of all that." She watched as Christy close the phone and ran over to them grinning. "I'm a grandmother!"

That got everyone's attention. She was met with various levels of disbelief. Prue frowned at her. "What?"

Christy grinned bigger. "My dog had puppies a few years ago. I'm a grandmother!"

Prue laughed at that, now understanding where the absurd comment had come from.

"I have to get going," Christy announced, bouncing straight to a new subject. "My sister is coming to pick me up and she should be here soon." She turned to face Sam who was standing next to Dean watching everyone. "Thanks for getting rid of the demon. I am in your debt."

"Yeah, sure," Sam dismissed her claim. "You all right?"

"Mmhh," she grinned and turned to look at Prue. Trying to keep her face straight she said, "Thanks for not killing me. I know you could have."

"It wasn't an option," Prue denied. "You're an innocent." She sighed. "Be careful, okay. People are going wonder why you're alive."

"I'll figure it out," Christy assured her. "I'm just missing though. They will wonder, but they don't have to get over the fact that I'm dead or anything like that." With a quick smile she headed toward the front of the house, greeting Lydia as she did.

Christy's words made Prue wonder. She turned to her dad. "And them," she indicated her sisters and her brother-in-law each in turn. "Are they just missing?"

Victor shook his head. "I think it's mostly calmed down, but they are thought either dead or wanted murderers, I'm afraid. Some have never quite been convinced that they weren't behind what happened."

Paige moaned. "This is not going to work. We're still going to have to leave."

Leo picked up Chris and hugged him tight as he shook his head. "As Christy said, we'll figure it . . ."

Prue frowned as Leo's voice just stopped. She turned and looked at him. She waved her hand in front of him. "Leo?" Her frown deepened as she turned to Piper. "Piper, did you . . ?" Her voice trailed off as she realized that Piper wasn't moving either. No one else was moving at all. "Piper? Phoebe? Leo? Dad? What's going on?"

"Don't worry," a voice behind her told her. "Your family is fine."_

* * *

_

What do you think happened? Who do you think the voice belongs to? In this particular case I will post the next chapter once I have at least one guess. It need not be right. I'd prefer it to be serious . . . at the very least a character within in the mythology of one of the two shows, because this character is from one of them, but I'll take any guess.

Wyatt is able to heal Piper, so will that be enough to wake her?


	25. A Moment In Time

First a thank you to my reviewers:

DH1994 - You've got it exactly.

AJ Winchester - Glad you liked it.

vrb18 - That was my favorite part of that chapter. An elder is a good guess, but isn't correct. Really good try though. This character has a little more power than they do and it definitely has to do with Prue's time where she is being up. That was interesting trying to word that in such a way as to not give anything away. Hope you enjoy what I do here.

I was going to update yesterday but I was not feeling well, so you get it today instead.

This chapter was one where I knew it was coming and I still didn't know what I was going to do with it until I was almost there. I hope you think I made the right choices here.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four - A Moment In Time

Prue whirled around to face her adversary. What she found was a middle aged man in a robe looking at her with a kind smile. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"Your family has the most fascinating way of messing with destiny," the man commented without answering her question.

"What are you talking about?" Prue asked glaring at him. "Don't you dare say my sisters were supposed to die."

"One of them, yes," the man informed her. "Had you not interfered one of your sisters would have died. However since you did interfere and all three of your sisters have thus survived, we will not dwell on that. What we need to discuss is the fact that you did so at the peril of your own soul and now you have left us little choice by remaining here so long."

"What are you talking about?" Prue demanded. "I know I have to go back to being dead. I know . . ."

"You cannot," the man interrupted.

"What are you talking about?" Prue repeated, perturbed. "Of course I can. I have to."

"One does not simply stay corporeal for seven years after dying and not expect consequences," the man informed her.

Prue sighed and nodded. "My sisters are safe. Christy is safe as well. I will accept my punishment."

"Cases like yours are rare," he informed her, "but when they do occur the person normally is sent strait on to their next life. In your case that's a problem," he admitted. "And your soul cannot stand the strain of returning to death.

Prue looked at him with raised eyebrows so like her sister's. "How's that?"

"Your next life is nowhere near ready to be born," he announced. "You see you were never meant to die when you did and since you did we were already going to be waiting a long time."

"So now what?" Prue asked frustrated. "Just tell me what is going to happen to me all ready. I will take my punishment."

"As I said, you left us with little choice," he repeated. "We can of course attempt to return you to your death, but that will prove difficult and maybe impossible. Should we fail you will be gone forever and your next life will never come to be. That is not desirable. You have a long destiny yet to experience."

Prue gave him a look. "And the other options?"

"We can find some way to," he frowned, looking for the right words, "more or less to put you in storage until it is time for your next life."

Prue sighed. "Fine. Do that, if you must."

"There is another option," he admitted.

Prue waited, growing impatient with him.

"It would require all of your powers to be given up," he informed her, "but you may find it the most desirable option."

"My powers aren't really a whole lot of use to me when I'm dead, now are they," Prue retorted. "That they were able to protect my sisters for all these years is enough."

"The thing is that by draining your powers, we might be able to bring you back to life."

Prue stared at him shocked. "Repeat that," she demanded.

"You would be without magic, any magic," he reminded her, "but you would be alive, living your life as you saw fit and when you died, again, it is to be hoped that your soul would have had the chance to recover and you would pass peacefully into death." He sighed. "There is the chance that this too could fail and that if you died too soon you might still lose your soul completely and never move on to your next life."

"But there's also a chance I could live," she demanded. "I could spend time with my sisters get to know Paige and my nephews. I could live?"

He nodded. "The choice is yours."

Prue looked at her sisters, at her nephews, at her dad. She turned back to the man. "Who are you?"

"I am the Angel of Destiny," he told her, finally answering that question.

She shook her head, trying to think. She gulped and nodded. "Okay. Do it."

He waved his hand at her and magic swirled around her. She felt it picking and pulling at her. She saw nothing but a swirl of light all around her, going round and round, making her dizzy. After what seemed like forever she felt it lift away and saw it move from her. Gaps began to form between the light and she could once more see around her. And suddenly it was just gone. She looked at the Angel of Destiny and saw him smiling. "It worked?"

"You are alive."

Just as if it was nothing. Just to test it, she tried to astral project to him. Nothing happened.

* * *

When I started this story I knew that I would bring Prue into it. I did not know what I would do with her. It makes sense that if she had the chance to protect her sisters, she would. But that brings the question what to do with her afterward. Does she go back to being dead . . . and if she does how does that work? What kind of power does it take to "haunt" the living and use magical powers the entire time for seven years? And what exactly does it take to be transformed from life to death, especially when it takes time to get used to being dead. I can't say I know all the answers to these questions, but questions like this helped me form what to do with Prue. I had hoped for input from my readers on her fate, but I had a reader who was a lot farther along than this site was and she never had an answer to that question . . . even though I posed it to her before Prue even showed up.

So did I make the right choice here? I have issues with the idea of the power of four, so that idea didn't work so well for me. Of course I could have just stripped her sisters powers or done what I'm going to do in "Charmed: Heritage", but I think people would have issues if I stipped three sisters powers and it made sense to me to strip Prue's. What do you think?


	26. Another Choice to Make

First a thank you to my reviewers:

AJ Winchester - Sam and Dean are frozen in time for the moment. The Angel of Destiny froze everyone except for Prue. Once he has gone, then you will have more interaction with the brothers, though the chapter following this next one will have some very important information about what happened at the beginning of the story to Sam and Dean, especially Dean.

vrb18 - I'm glad you like what I did with Prue.

The Angel of Destiny unfreezes Piper, Phoebe, and Paige and they have some choices to make.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five - Another Choice to Make

The excitement in Prue bubbled up as Piper, Phoebe, and Paige unfroze.

"Prue?" Piper looked around, startled to see Prue missing. "Where . . ?" Her voice trailed off as she noticed the Angel of Destiny standing there. "I thought you weren't coming back."

"Not for you," he reminded her. "That was a onetime offer. This one was for Prue."

Startled, Piper looked around until she found Prue. "Prue?"

"He stripped my powers," Prue stated in a sort of awe, not saying what she really meant to say at all.

"What?" all three of her sisters exclaimed stunned.

"They're gone," Prue admitted. "I already checked."

Piper turned to glare at the Angel of Destiny. "Isn't it enough that she's dead? Did you have to go and take her powers, too?"

"Your sister was given a choice, as she will tell you herself, just as you were three years ago." He gave her a stern look. "Now, that I have spoken with your sister I have an issue to take up with your whole family."

"And what is that?" Piper demanded.

"This last battle of yours was far too public to the nonmagical world," the Angel of Destiny informed her.

"We don't even know what happened," Piper admitted. "We returned here and the house was surrounded by the police and SWAT and everyone else."

"While you were away Zankou killed Inspector Alyse Sheridan," Prue informed her. "She was wired and wearing a camera, so they witnessed Zankou killing her."

"What was she doing her?" Phoebe wanted to know.

"What do you think?" Piper shot back. "She never did give up trying to prove we were the bad guys."

"We should have saved her," Paige commented, sadly.

Piper turned to Prue. "How did you know anyway? You said you were in here the entire time."

Prue pointed to the unmoving form of Leo. "Leo heard it from someone in the crowd. Not the Zankou part of course, but that she was killed and how. He extrapolated the rest." She looked at the Angel of Destiny. "You have a point to all this. What is it?"

"People died here during the time you slept," the Angel of Destiny added. "There is no getting around that."

Prue opened her mouth to say something, but when he shook his head, she closed it.

"They are dead and they have moved on," he told them. "You need not worry about them. The outside world will not easily forget. You may chose to simply walk away and the outside world will eventually forget you. You might run into people and they will wonder why you never returned, but there will be little else. However, the more difficult choice is to remain here, to face the questions and there will be questions, make no mistakes about that. Agent Keyes is no longer here and he will not remember seeing you in the house, so there will be no one to know that you were in the house when everything went down. He does not blame you. He does not think you capable of what happened in there."

"That's all well and good," Piper declared, "but it will be impossible to explain our absence to everyone."

"If you should decide to stay, then that will be taken care of."

"In what way would it be more difficult, then?" Paige wanted to know. "We have lives here. We may have to pick them up differently then how we left them. Our jobs are no doubt long gone, except perhaps P3 since Victor has the deeds on that. But it seems to me that it would be easier to start again here."

"If you leave, you will not have others expectations," he informed her. "You will not have the questions to answer. We will not make them go away, only make them easier to explain. As before you will have to decide as a group, only this time this is between all four of you. You must decide where you will live, here or elsewhere."

Three sets of eyes turned to stare at Prue as realization set in.

"He said . . ," Phoebe trailed off as she stared at her older sister.

Piper didn't bother with words. She mimicked her son's earlier actions and hurled herself at Prue, embracing her in a tight hug.

"I just got my life back," Prue teased. "Are you planning on hugging me to death?"

Piper pulled away. "I already lost you once. Don't you ever joke about something like that."

Prue gave her a quick squeeze and looked past her at Phoebe and Paige. "What are you two doing all the way over there? Get over here."

Phoebe needed no more invitation. She scurried over and slipped under Prue's arm and hugged her torso.

Prue continued to look at Paige. "Come on. I know you don't know me, but I want you in on this celebration if you're willing. After all, we are sisters."

"But you don't know me," Paige protested.

"Correction," Prue shook her head. "I know you. I had three years to get to observe you and learn who you are. I don't have a relationship with you, but if I am going to be alive, then I certainly want to form one and I'd like to start here."

Paige considered this. She looked like she might still bulk at it, but she came over and joined the group hug.

When they finally moved away from each other, Paige first, Piper last, they sat down together on the one piece of furniture in the room that had survived the battles over the last seven years unharmed. It was a wicker sofa with flower cushions.

Prue sat in the middle of the sofa with Piper at her side.

Phoebe walked over and plopped down on her lap.

Prue laughed at her in surprise.

Paige decided to sit down on the other side of Prue.

"So what do we do, now?" Piper wondered aloud. "It seems almost perfect."

"I don't really want to leave San Francisco," Phoebe admitted. "I've tried that when I went to New York and then Hong Kong."

"A lot has changed since you got back from New York," Piper commented.

"You mean like we became witches," Phoebe retorted.

"And you became a wife and mother," Paige added.

"And we got a new sister," Prue smiled looking at Paige.

Paige smiled back. She didn't know what to think of Prue, but it certainly was starting out well. Having another sister might be nice.

"So Phoebe wants to stay," Prue commented. "What about you, Piper?"

Piper nodded. "I know everything has probably changed over the last seven years, but it's still home. I want to stay."

"Paige?" Prue looked at her.

"Well, I certainly would like to travel," Paige admitted, "but I'm pretty sure I'd like to do that without having to hide. Besides it's been far too long since I visited Aunt Julie and Uncle Dave. I'm not just leaving them behind, again."

"Make it unanimous then," Prue announced. She looked over at the Angel of Destiny. "We've come to a decision."

He smiled as he walked over to them. "Now, that you have decided that I have one more thing to deal with," the Angel of Destiny announced without getting their decision. He walked outside and across the lawn a ways before he waved his hand. To everyone's surprise and shock the immobile newcomer he revealed was a face none had expected to see, again.

* * *

Who do you think the Angel of Destiny has just revealed to them?


	27. I'd Rather Not Die

First a thank you to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - *Slaps forehead* I should have included that character. Oh, well, maybe in the next one . . . should I have even said that. Oh, well, on another site, the one where I originally posted this, I agreed to write sequels to this. They are not started or planned, but I definitely need to include that character in the Charmed part of that. It is not any of those three, but you will be seeing one of them in an upcoming chapter.

The girls are a bit shocked at who the Angel of Destiny reveals and even more shocked as they learn what he did that got him there.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Six - I'd Rather Not Die

Cole Turner stood before them, unmoving, eyes watchful.

Phoebe was the first to respond, a gasp escaping her lips as she ran out the back door and over to him. "Cole? How . . ? What's he doing here?"

"You have him to thank for the interference into the Winchester brothers' lives," the Angel of Destiny informed her as her sisters walked more slowly to them. "He learned of Sam Winchester's unusually ability and manipulated events to not only get them here, but make sure Sam heard about this house and stuck around."

"You mean he made Sam think his brother was dead?" Prue asked annoyed as the Angel of Destiny waved his hand again and Cole started moving. "Did you cause the motel to collapse, too?"

Cole glared at her. "Is this the thanks I get for getting you out of there?"

"People died, Cole," Prue reminded him.

"Okay, fine," Cole continued to glare at her. "I didn't start it. I just used it to separate Sam from his brother."

"You could have asked," Prue suggested with a glare of her own. "In case you didn't notice, helping people with magical problems seems to be what they do."

"In case you didn't notice, they aren't exactly trusting of those with real magic," Cole shot back. "Piper's boys won him over. There's no way I could do that."

"You made him think his brother was dead," Prue yelled. "Of course he's wasn't going to help you after that."

"I wasn't going to let Phoebe rot in here forever like you seemed content to do," Cole retorted.

Prue glanced back at her sisters. "I was protecting her along with Piper and Paige."

"No," Cole argued, "I was. Where do you think that food came from that kept Leo Wyatt alive? I hardly think that spell you cast was really going to make food magically appear within his reach."

"Apparently it did," Prue returned, "even if it did use you to do it somehow."

Cole shook his head, almost amused. "And who do you think made sure you knew every time your other spell wore off. You were too busy keeping the demon alive."

"An innocent was possessed," Prue reminded him.

"Well, where were you when I was possessed and needed help?" Prue was surprised to see hurt in his eyes as he added, "You knew."

"I was dead," Prue shot back. It lost all menace of her previous words, for it was true. After she had died, she had watched him like a hawk, worried about Phoebe's relationship with him. She knew he was possessed. Maybe if she had tried harder she could have stopped the Seer's plan or at least warned her sisters, but she'd failed then and Phoebe had turned evil and Cole had been vanquished and their innocent baby had never truly been as innocent as he should have been and was destroyed.

"That doesn't stop this family," Cole reminded her. As if she needed the reminded. "Your dead interfere just as much as your living. You could have done something, so don't give me any BS about protecting an innocent. You couldn't do what had to be done, so I found someone who could. And if I had to upset him for a couple of days to do it, then so be it. I'd do it, again. I couldn't approach him and the best way I could get him to stay put was to put him under the police eye. I knew eventually someone else would die here and he'd run into one of the two people most obsessed with this house. And he did. Your dead boyfriend's dad showed up and Sam listened to him better than he ever would have listened to me."

"Cole, this has got to stop," Phoebe spoke up. "You killed people to get them here."

"No," Cole argued. "I used deaths that had already happened. I didn't cause them. I just knew about them. And I put an end to them, but getting Sam to get rid of that demon, something none of you managed to do."

Paige walked over to the Angel of Destiny and whispered, "Aren't you going to stop them. You must have unfrozen him for some reason."

"This was part of it," the Angel of Destiny admitted. "Before I deal with him there were some things that needed to be brought out into the open."

"There's more?" Paige queried, looking worried at her sisters and Cole.

He shook his head. "No, not particularly. He has a decision of his own to make and he needed to know where he stood."

"I can't imagine what kind of decision you think I need to make," Cole announced, over hearing them.

"We cannot have a continuation of all the escapades you have had," the Angel of Destiny informed him. "No one has ever escaped the confines of the wasteland. Most don't even have anything left by the time they reach there. You escaped. And then when you managed to mangle your own existence by creating a whole other reality and dying in it, you were trapped in the void and you have yet again managed to escape a place no one should be able to leave."

"But wasn't I . . ." Piper trailed off.

Phoebe looked at her curiously. "You knew about this?"

"I was going to tell you," Piper announced, "but I didn't think it would do you any good to know he was there."

"And when was this?"

"When I almost died while you and Paige were trying to find Leo before he found the elders," Piper admitted.

Phoebe exhaled slowly. "Okay then. Next time . . . next time tell me about something like this."

Piper nodded. "Right. Let's just hope there is no next time."

"There will be no next time with Cole Turner," the Angel of Destiny announced.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Cole protested.

"You have two choices," he was quickly informed. "You can continue on in this life as a mortal man, no more powers of any type. That means no more demonic powers. No avatar powers. And no witch powers if you somehow thought you could find a way to get them. None. You would live as a normal human, taking up your life from where you left it almost ten years ago. There would be questions as to where you have been all this time, but most people tend to believe that you and Phoebe got into an argument and that you either walked out and simply neglected to tell anyone or that she killed you."

Cole snorted. "Of course. Which is true."

The Angel of Destiny gave him a stern look. "If you intend to manage to survive without being under intense scrutiny, then I suggest you don't mention that."

"Okay, that's one choice," Cole waved away his last comment. "What's the other option?"

"You can go quietly to your death."

"I need my powers," Cole insisted. "I can't make it there without them."

"You can manage if you try hard enough," the Angel of Destiny insisted. "No matter your choice, you will not retain any powers, not now, not ever again. Think about it. I will hear their answer to my question while you consider this."

* * *

How do you think Cole is going to respond to this offer? And what will be the result of the girls' decision? And what do you think of what Cole revealed of his part in what's been going on?


	28. Irreversible

First a thank you to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - Cole's pretty cool. I'd be pretty hard pressed to forget him. Just as my favorite Charmed character isn't one of the sisters, but is one of their guys, so to I think my sister's favorite Charmed character is probably Cole. And I love him too. He was a lot of fun . . . most of the time. You will get to see Sam and Dean's reaction to that and learn a little more about that, because Phoebe isn't letting Cole not tell them. That's for a different chapter though. Soon.

The Angel of Destiny hears their decisions and tells them some of the results.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Irreversible

"It is simple enough," Piper informed him. "We're staying here.

The Angel of Destiny looked at them. "And you are sure of this?"

Piper nodded. "We are."

"There will be no changing this decision," He reminder her. He looked at the four sisters and Cole, stopping his gaze on Cole. "That includes you. Measures will be taken to see that you cannot repeat any of your escapades. The next time you die whether it is today or sometime in the future, that's it, you will die and you will die as a human. If you chose to live see that you live your life in such a way that you don't become like the demons they defeated in there, capable only of mindless evil and twisted loyalties or that is how you will stay, unless that is what you want. Few are completely beyond the change to good, though far fewer ever change, but those . . . they are beyond thoughts of good, so if it is your intention to ever be good, do not forget that. If however you do not care, then regard not my warning."

Cole glared at him, but said nothing.

"You are being given another chance," the Angel of Destiny reminded him. "Most don't get a second chance let alone more than that. Do you know what you will do?"

Cole sighed. "It doesn't seem to be much of a choice," he admitted. "I don't particularly like death, if you missed that."

The Angel of Destiny smiled. He waved his hand in front of Cole and magic whirled around him, stripping him of the latest round of magic he had stolen. "Use it well," he warned before he turned to look at the sisters. "Those within the magical community and those who know of it and are not a threat to its secrecy will recall everything they know as it occurred. Those of the outside world who are unaware of magic will believe an altered version of events as close to the facts as can be made. Invaders entered your home and took over. They forced you out and killed all comers using secret technology. You were forced to flee and not even given the chance to get your sons. Deeming it safer and more stable for them, you left them with your dad and did not return until you learned that it was safe to return."

"No one will believe that," Paige commented as the whirlwind stopped flowing around Cole and he walked over to lean against the back fence.

"Besides that doesn't explain Prue," Phoebe added. "How do you explain three sisters leaving and four returning?"

"Three years prior to these events Prue was forced to fake her death after witnessing the murder of a doctor by well placed individuals," the Angel of Destiny replied without pause. "Although Piper was in the house at the time, she was injured and clearly had not seen anything. And Phoebe was out of the house and thus was not a threat to the killers."

Paige snorted. "Right, that will fly."

He ignored her. "As neither knew the truth of what happened, they truly did believe Prue was dead. The casket was closed . . ."

"But it wasn't," Piper protested.

"They will remember it closed," he informed her. Starting again he said, "The casket was closed because there was no body in it and not because of the shape of the body. The same people were behind both attacks . . ."

"True enough," Phoebe commented.

"Allow me to finish," he suggested.

She nodded and blew at a loose strand of hair.

"The same people were behind both attacks," he repeated. "They were sent by a competitor of the company your father worked for at the time. After taking over the care of the two boys, he took an early retirement, believing it was the safest course for the boys. He knew that the attacks were directed at intimidating him and believed it would be safest if he didn't have anything they wanted."

"Again, who is going to believe this?" Paige asked.

He smiled. "Agent Keyes to begin with. He was transferred out of here years ago, but he will remember both catching these criminals in a shoot out and letting you know it was safe to return. He will also remember helping you relocate. We do not desire to change the past too much, only give you the chance to move on. There is one more warning."

Piper sighed as all four sisters and Cole looked at him wearily.

"Getting rid of Zankou only two years after the vanquish of the source put the underworld in disarray," he informed them, "which is why Piper's sons have enjoyed relative freedom from demonic attacks. This will not last much longer. With all that you have accomplished, most will avoid attacking you directly. They will not want that risk. They will however attack people, magical and nonmagical alike. Never forget the innocents that you are to protect or there will be consequences. You were given your magic for a reason. Use it wisely."

With those words the Angel of Destiny disappeared in a whirl of magic and everything started moving, again.

* * *

For those _Supernatural _fans wondering what happened to Sam and Dean, the first word of the next chapter is "Sam" . . . so that should tell you something.


	29. If That's An Apology

First a thank you to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - Nope, just Sam reacting to no one being where someone was before.

Now you get to find out just how much Cole did. And to some extent why he did it. _Supernatural_ fans should have a pretty good idea when Cole started his search. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Eight - If That's An Apology . . .

Sam frowned as he looked at the spot where Prue had been. It was as if she had vanished in a blink.

"Mommy!"

Chris' childish cry of delight caught Sam's attention and he turned to look. To his surprise all four sisters were out in the yard along with a man he had never seen before.

Then, Phoebe was yanking the man's arm and directing him toward Sam and Dean. She stopped in front of them and glared at the man. "Apologize."

The man shook his head.

"I know why you did it," she informed the man, "but you still hurt them. Apologize."

"What's going on here?" Dean wanted to know.

Sam kept silent, but he was just as curious.

"Cole has something to say to you," Phoebe informed them.

"Cole" glared at her. "I don't regret what I did."

"Well, I do."

"You regret that I got you out of there?" Cole demanded to know.

Sam looked at him in surprise. He'd never seen this guy before. What had he to do with getting Phoebe and the others out of that house?

"_This_ is my ex-husband," Phoebe informed them. "His name is Cole Turner. He has something to say to you."

"Sure doesn't look that was to me," Dean retorted.

"Just let him be," Sam suggested. "It doesn't matter."

"Tell them," Phoebe ordered Cole, pushing him forward. "Apologize for worrying them, if nothing else, and I'll let you go."

"Worrying us?" Sam asked confused.

Phoebe looked at Cole with raised eyebrows, waiting.

Cole sighed as he began to explain. "For several years I was in what's called the void between life and death. During that time all this happened. I didn't want to leave Phoebe to die in here, so I found a way to travel between them. Once I did that I tried to figure out how to deal with the demon since Prue wouldn't kill the host and Phoebe wasn't getting out until the demon was dead. I found you, Sam."

"What?" Sam looked at him startled. "What are you talking about? I've never seen you before in my life."

"I don't care about what most people think about me," Cole admitted, "but I'm not risking Phoebe, so I figured I couldn't risk annoying you and you were a little busy at the time dealing with the aftermath of killing some demon named Lilith."

"What do you know about Lilith?" Dean demanded.

Cole shrugged. "Mostly that she was the same kind of demon as this and that Sam killed her by himself. Unfortunately he also killed her host and that meant he would have killed Christy as well. That would not have gone over well considering how hard Prue had tried to keep her alive. I had to wait or find someone else. Since you were too busy anyway, I decided that if Sam could do that maybe others could. As far as I can find . . . that's not true, so I went back and made sure that you stopped in San Francisco. I was going to talk to you the next morning despite believing you might well turn me down."

"But why would we turn you down?" Sam asked, confused.

"I am, or I guess I was, a demon," Cole informed them.

"Half demon," Phoebe corrected.

Dean backed up startled. "You've got to be kidding me."

"What?" Sam asked, staring at him. "Are you crazy?"

Dean flicked a look over at Victor. "Maybe you can convince me that there are good witches, but good demons? No way! Never gonna happen."

"Victor?" Cole shook his head, amused. "Really? He didn't even like Leo and Leo's an angel."

"Not exactly high ringing endorsement either," Sam admitted.

"Right," Cole chuckled at that. "I forgot you had trouble with angels, too."

"They tried to kill me," Sam snapped, his voice trailing as he finished with, "because I have demon blood in me."

Cole looked at him startled. "What? You're a demon?" This was not something he had learned.

"No," Sam informed him quite firmly. "I'm psychically sensitive or some other such bull and a demon bleed into me when I was a baby infusing his blood into me so that I could harness it for his own intentions. That blood is a part of me, so would I have helped you had you asked? I don't know." Sam sighed and looked away "The last time I helped a demon, I got burned big, but I wouldn't have turned you down flat. And maybe you could have saved yourself some time."

"Wait," Dean put his hand up. "You said you were going to talk to us, but we never saw you. What happened?"

"As near as I can figure, Geosia," Cole informed him.

"Speak English," Dean demanded.

Cole nodded. "She's a demon that controls seismic actions. I think she collapsed your motel. I found you near dead under that snack machine when I showed up to meet with you, so I decided to make some changes. I got you to the home of a witch couple whose son is an elder and had him heal you."

"Wait," Dean looked at him confused. "What?"

Phoebe looked at Cole with question in her eyes. "Kevin?"

Cole nodded.

"What's an elder?" Dean wanted to know."

"Um," Phoebe tried to find the right word. "That's a . . . Let's just say they are in charge of a group of beings who guide and heal."

"Oh," Sam realized. "Whitelighters."

Phoebe looked at him surprised. "Where'd you hear of them?"

Sam pointed at where Wyatt and Chris were vying for their mother's attention.

Phoebe smiled as she followed his finger with her eyes. "Ah."

"That's not important," Dean insisted. Returning the attention to Cole, he said, "You're saying that you're the reason Sam thought I was dead."

Cole nodded without any sign of repentance. "You would have been had I not interfered. Kevin said you were so close to death he almost couldn't bring you back." He chuckled as he added, "And then he yelled at me for bringing you there instead of bringing him to the motel. He spent the next hour trying to save the people there. I just hid what he did, which meant when the police arrived all they found was Sam. Everyone else, every last person in that motel other than Sam was mortally wounded. How Sam escaped without injury I don't know. By the time Kevin was done, the police had left with Sam, believing that he was the only survivor. Kevin had to call the paramedics to get them over there. Believing there were no other survivors, they hadn't been called. After that is was just a matter of jamming communications between the police and the hospital and anyone among the paramedics. It was easy enough."

"Let me get this straight," Sam requested. "You saved Dean's life and instead of using this as an in with us or trying to help get everything else figured out at that motel, you made me think he was dead.

"Would you rather I left things along?" Cole retorted. "Would you rather that he was actually dead?"

"No," Sam replied without hesitation. "Of course not."

"And you would have ran into him eventually," Cole reminded him. "I wasn't hiding you from him. And I can't imagine he would have left without you." In a mumbled and amused voice he added, "Or his car from what I've learned."

"Hey!" Dean protested. "Don't mock the car."

Phoebe giggled.

Dean turned to Sam. "Where is my baby anyway?"

"About a block from here," Sam pointed toward the road, "but the impala is not the point."

Dean looked at his brother funny as he sucked in his breath and said, "I would have done it."

"What?" Sam asked bewildered.

"To save you," Dean added, as if that explained everything, and it kind of did. "If I've been in his position and you'd been in theirs, I would have done what he did if I thought it would work. I would have done anything."

Sam nodded. What could he say to that? Dean had sold his soul to save Sam and given the chance Sam would have and still would do the same. Something like this was child's play in comparison. Still, one couldn't give one's older brother too much leverage. "Yeah, I guess you're right. You would do that."

Dean gave him a playful punch. "And you wouldn't?

Sam shrugged. "You know I would."

"Good," Cole relaxed at their words. "I'll be leaving then."

"Cole," Phoebe stopped him, warning in her voice.

Cole sighed. "I'm not sorry I did this, because it worked, but I am sorry it distressed you." Looking at Phoebe he asked, "Satisfied?"

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Good," he repeated. "Can we talk?"

* * *

That was fun to write. Did I do a good job of explaining why Sam found what he did when he went looking for Dean? Sam was dealing with the earthquake, which was centered on the motel, when Cole arrived. Cole arrived to find one of the people he was coming to talk to dying under a snack machine, so he found someone who could help. He knew Leo didn't have his powers any more and was out of reach anyway. He knew Wyatt could heal, but didn't want to deal with the Halliwells at the moment, it would require too many explanations, so he contacted Kevin's parents and got them to contact Kevin and save Dean's life. While, he was gone he used a stolen power to put an illusion there that Dean was still there, in the condition that he had been and at the rate that he was deteriating, so by the time Sam gets there Dean would have been dead, but at the moment in time he is being saved by a desperate Kevin (who really doesn't want to loose someone if he can help it). And then Kevin goes with Cole to save as many other people as he can. To keep from things getting complicated quick, Kevin (like Lydia . . . oh, you don't know about that yet . . . well, you'll see what she does when she shows up) leaves everyone unconscious, including Dean. And then Cole uses his stolen powers to do some blocking of telephone lines.

Just to be clear, you will get a Phoebe summary of the conversation and not hear the conversation with Cole itself. Sorry if that disappoints anyone. The next chapter is called "Relationships".


	30. Relationships

First a thank you to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - Sure. Here you go.

vrb18 - Well, he wasn't sorry, so he sees no reason he should apologize.

A little bit of bonding for the Halliwell sisters.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Relationships

Prue watched Phoebe walk away from the Winchester brothers with Cole. "Do you think she knows what she's doing?"

Piper shook her head. "Who knows. When it comes to Cole, I don't know what to think."

"I'm more worried about how he'll do without magic," Paige commented. "He didn't do so well the last time."

"I missed that," Prue admitted. "Cole without magic? That must have been interesting."

"He got served with a lawsuit, nearly got arrested . . . twice, and didn't last a full day at South Bay Social Services," Paige informed her.

Prue chuckled. "You had him working at social services with you?"

Paige nodded. "At least we tried to help him."

"In his defense he was trying to do good," Piper reminded Paige, "when most of that happened. He just didn't know how."

"Nothing indicates that he knows now," Paige argued. "I don't want Phoebe to be hurt, again."

"He loves her," Piper commented, remembering meeting him in the void. "It might work."

Phoebe headed away from Cole toward them and they fell silent. Phoebe stopped in front of them, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. "This is going to be hard, isn't it?"

"What did Cole want?" Piper asked, not bothering with a preamble. Seeing Cole walking toward the front yard, she turned back to Phoebe, surprised. "Is he leaving?"

Phoebe threw a glance behind her and nodded. "Yeah."

"I would have thought he would want to get back together," Piper admitted.

"He does," Phoebe informed them.

That gave Piper pause. "And?"

"And I don't know," Phoebe admitted. "I told him I was going to need some breathing room and that I didn't know if I'd ever be ready." She shrugged. "And then I invited him over for dinner a week from Friday . . . whenever that is."

"Don't you think you're sending mixed signals?" Piper arched an eyebrow at her.

"I've got another chance," Phoebe reminded her. "I'm giving him one, too. Third time a charm, right?"

Piper laughed nervously at that. "Just be careful."

"Of course," Phoebe agreed, quickly. Then in a teasing voice, she added, "It's not like he's my ex-husband or anything."

All three of her sisters laughed nervously at that.

"Speaking of husbands," Prue commented, "I think Piper's is looking a little lonely over there."

Piper gave Phoebe a quick hug. "Be careful." Then, she turned to Prue and gave her one. "Thanks. I've missed you." She hesitated just a moment before wrapping her arms around Paige. "Just because," she informed her before she headed over toward Leo and the boys.

"I'm going to follow her," Phoebe decided, "I want to see my favorite nephews."

"Phoebe!" Prue protested before she took so much as a step.

"Fine," Phoebe shrugged, "My only nephews." She grinned and added, "They're still my favorites." She walked off without waiting for a response.

Prue sighed. "That's not what I meant."

Paige laughed. "Trying to stop her can be kind of like trying to stop an act of nature."

Prue sighed, again. "Don't I know it." She looked at Paige and asked. "How about you? Did you have somewhere you wanted to run off to? Some old boyfriend to look up?"

Paige grinned at her as she suggested, "Some sister to get to know?"

Prue smiled, surprised. "I like the sound of that."

Paige shrugged. "No boyfriend anyway. The last one is now a whitelighter. The one before that had magic issues. The one before that," she paused, uncomfortable as she admitted, "turned out to be married."

"Yikes," Prue commiserated.

"Yeah," Paige agreed. She smiled at Prue. "Thanks."

Prue smiled back.

"Before that was Glenn." She shrugged. "He's married now and . . . kind of not talking to me after I attacked his fiancée, even if something changed that."

Prue grimaced.

"Spell," Paige explained.

Prue laughed at that. "I was married under one of those."

"Really?" Paige looked at her with interest. "No one mentioned that."

"Well, it was none of our best hour," Prue admitted. "You see there was this warlock named Zile . . ."

* * *

There are all sorts of stories out there where Prue meets Paige. I have one of my own. It's called "Morality Bites 2: Biting Back" and there is a chapter in it where Paige meets Prue and Prue meets Prue . . . two different stories. You'll have to read it if you want to know what I mean. This one is a little different, because Prue has been watching her sisters for years and so she has experience with knowing who Paige is, even if Paige doesn't know her yet. In there next chapter there is more Prue and Paige as well as Dean and Sam. Enjoy.


	31. What They Couldn't Have

First a thank you to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - Sorry it took so long. Enjoy.

vrb18 - I thought so. They need to get to know each other.

An invitation for the Winchester brothers and more bonding for Prue and Paige.

* * *

Chapter Thirty - What They Couldn't Have

Sam watched the Halliwells with a little bit of envy. "We never had that, did we?"

"What?" Dean asked, looking at him in surprise.

Sam waved his hand. "All that. Family, the ability to relax just because we're together, a dad who was there for us."

"You didn't talk to Victor much, did you?"

"Mostly the boys," Sam admitted. "Why?"

"Because Victor was out of his daughters lives for most of them," Dean informed his brother. "We talked a lot on the way here and before. We saw more of Dad growing up than his girls saw of him." He clapped a hand on Sam's back. "You did good, Sammy boy."

Sam grinned. "Yeah, well you did terrible," he teased. "It took you two days to find me."

"I was on foot," Dean protested. "What's your excuse?"

"I thought you were dead," Sam reminded him softly.

"Right," Dean's voice was somber as he remembered. He glanced around. "I guess we'd better get going."

"I was hoping you'd stay for dinner," Wyatt requested from behind them.

The Winchester brother turned around to stare at him. He was so quiet, they never heard him coming.

"Grandma says Mom's the best cook in the world," Wyatt informed them, "and she said to invite you over for dinner. Please say you'll come."

The Winchester brothers looked at each other.

"Free food," Sam mumbled in a fake cough.

Dean rolled his eyes upward. He nodded at Wyatt. "Tell your mom we accept."

Wyatt smiled and without a word turned to walk away.

* * *

"You mean to tell me you were turning into warlock," Paige asked laughing.

"Sure appeared that way," Prue agreed. "Leo was pretty worried when Piper and Phoebe started blinking."

Paige laughed harder at this.

"It's not funny," Prue protested.

"Sure it is," Paige argued. "I'm just thinking of all those times Piper and Phoebe wanted me to orb them somewhere. Kind of makes me wish they could have kept the blinking without the evil."

"Still not funny," Prue informed here, "but I at least see where you are coming from." Her eyes focused on something behind Paige and she completely missed Paige's response.

"Prue?" Paige waved her hand in front of her face. "Are you there?"

Prue sighed and nodded. "Yeah. I," she exhaled slowly, "I'll be right back. I need to take care of something."

"What?" Paige didn't bother finishing. It was clear Prue wasn't listening. She watched as Prue walked across the lawn and wrapped her arms around a man standing there. It was hard to tell from this distance, but Paige thought maybe she had seen him in some pictures in a photo album and in those pictures he always had Prue by his side.

* * *

So who do you think the man is? And why did Prue react the way she did?


	32. A Sad Good Bye

First a thank you to my reviewer:

AJ Winchester - Excellent guesses. One of those is in this chapter and one of those will be showing up in the chapter after, I think.

A debated for quite some time how to do this and what to do here and this is what I decided. Let me know what you think.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-One - A Sad Good-Bye

Prue looked at Andy Trudeau with tears in her eyes. "I couldn't come back," she whispered.

"I know," Andy assured her.

"I had to help them," she added, trying to explain.

Andy nodded and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I know."

"I missed you," she told him before adding sadly, "I will miss you."

"I know," Andy repeated. So inadequate, saying nothing of what he wanted to say.

"This is good-bye, isn't it," Prue stated. There was no question in her voice.

Andy nodded.

"I love you," she informed him sadly.

Andy gave her a sad smile. "I know. I love you." In barely a whisper he added, "Be happy, Prue."

"I will," she assured him, "but I'll miss you."

"If you need me, I'll be here," Andy informed her. "You may not see me, but be assured, I will be here."

"I don't want to say good-bye."

"You have a chance to live, again," Andy reminded her, hugging her close. "I knew what I was doing that day."

"Did you?"

"A choice between you and me." He shrugged and smiled at her. "There was never any question what I would choose."

"Maybe I didn't want you to choose me," Prue suggested. "Maybe I wanted you to live."

"We've been through this before," he reminded her wryly. "Let's not waste this time with that, again."

She let the tears fall from her eyes and she stood up on her toes.

He met her lips with his own in a final kiss to the woman he loved.

When they finally broke apart, Prue wiped tears out of her eyes. "I love you." She gave him one last look and forced herself to walk away.

"I love you," Andy whispered. "Be happy, Prue."

* * *

In case anyone is curious. Andy is my favorite character on Charmed. I couldn't just not have him in this story, especially considering what I was trying to do with it.


	33. A Surprising Call

First a thank you to my reviewers:

AJ Winchester - Grams didn't know because she wasn't watching either Cole or Dean. She had no reason to. By now, she probably knows, since she was looking for Dean at Sam's request. Of course she was expecting to find him dead, so who knows how long that would take to find him since he's alive.

vrb18 - That's what I was going for.

A little teasing and a surprise phone call.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Two - A Surprising Call

As Prue reached her sisters, she was all too aware that they were all staring at her.

"Was that who I think it was?" Piper asked, looking at his back as he turned the corner.

"She was lip locked with him for at least a minute, probably more," Phoebe retorted. "If he isn't, she'd better at last know him."

"Any one care to elaborate?" Paige requested, feeling quite in the dark.

"That was Prue's ex-boyfriend," Piper informed her, "her dead ex-boyfriend, Andy Trudeau. He was Darryl's partner."

"Hardly ex," Prue informed them, adding sadly, "but definitely dead which means I will have to move on." She looked sadly to where Andy had disappeared. "I will never forget him though."

Piper wrapped her arm around Prue's shoulder. "Don't misunderstand; I want you here, but why did you choose to live if you want to stay with Andy. We could have summoned you."

Prue looked over at her sister. "Staying with Andy was not an option. I gave that up when I chose to stay here to protect you. I suppose they let him come to say good-bye."

"Well, I am glad you chose to stay," Victor informed her, staying uncertainly away from her."

Prue smiled and gave him a big hug. She moved away as his pocket started ringing. "You'd better get that."

"It's not important," Victor assured her, not bothering to check.

"You don't know that," Prue informed him as she dug into his jacket pocket. She looked at the name on the caller ID and handed it to Victor. "Find out what he wants, Dad."

Victor read the caller ID as it rang, again. Putting it to his ear he said, "Hello Darryl."

"Good," Darryl sighed. "You're there."

"Is everything all right?"

"I'm not sure," Darryl admitted. "I got to thinking after talking to that boy and I decided to drive by the manor. I admit I was half expecting to see his corpse on the front lawn. I'm out front right now and instead of a corpse on the lawn there is a car in the driveway. I'm not sure what that means, but is there a chance that the manor is safe now?"

Victor smiled at the question, looking at the members of his family gathered around. "Yes. In fact that is my car out there. Come and join us."

"I have to get home," Darryl protested.

"Come say hi to the girls and then go home," Victor suggested. "It wouldn't take long and they'd love to see you."

"The girls?" Darryl asked surprised. "You mean they're all right?"

"Yes," Victor breathed a sigh of relief, "they're doing fine, all four of them."

"Four!" Darryl asked, stunned. He pulled up the curb to get out of another driver's way. "Prue?"

"That's right," Victor agreed. "I got all of my daughters back."

"I can spare," Darryl started. He never finished, the next word out of his lips was just above a whisper, "Andy!"

"What?" Victor asked surprised.

"I have to go," Darryl informed him. Apparently former partners trumped the four sisters. The phone was hung up with no more comment than that.

"What just happened?" Victor asked, confused.

"Is Darryl all right?" Piper asked, concerned.

Victor shook his head bewildered. "He said 'Andy' and hung up."

Prue smiled at that. "I guess I'm not the only one Andy wanted to talk to."

* * *

Prue's not the only one that Andy's taking the chance to see. He doesn't have a lot of time, but he wants to talk to his former partner and friend.


	34. Good Bye To An Old Friend

First a thank you to my reviewers:

AJ Winchester - Thanks. Sorry it took so long.

vrb18 - Glad you think so. Sorry I kept you waiting.

Queen Of Gabb 488 - Here's that update. It was actually your review that jolted me into remembering that I forgot to get back to this. Then, things came up and I didn't have time or was only thinking about it when I was away from the internet. So here's that next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

My apologies. It suddenly occured to me that I was almost done posting this story for you and I didn't have anything done of the two sequels. By request, though I was already thinking about it, I decided to write two sequels to this, one following the Winchester brothers to their next case, which you'll find out a tiny bit about in a later chapter and one following the Halliwells when demons return. Time line wise the Supernatural one will be the next one simply because it takes place within a week of this one and the other takes place about two months later. I have a vague outline begun and the first chapters of each started. I will post both in their respective catagories when I finish posting this.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Three - Good-Bye To An Old Friend

Darryl turned off the car and got out, gun drawn. He walked rapidly to where Andy was waiting.

"Put that away," Andy instructed him.

"Andy's dead," Darryl informed him. "Therefore, you can't . . ."

"Can't be Andy?" Andy asked, sounding a little amused. "Darryl, surely by now you know how untrue that statement is."

"Victor seemed to be saying Prue was alive," Darryl commented cautiously. "Are you . . ?"

"No," Andy shook his head. "Much as I'd like another chance to _live_ with Prue, that doesn't seem to be an option. I guess we've used up our chances. I was given a chance to say good-bye. I've done that. Now, I have to let her go."

"So she's really alive?" Darryl asked, lowering and holstering his gun.

Andy smiled sadly. "Yes."

"You're not going to ask me to watch them, again," Darryl commented, eyeing Andy. "Are you?"

Andy shook his head. "You'll make your own decisions on that. I know what happened over those six and a half years, the good and the bad." He paused and smiled. "Actually, I'm releasing you from that promise."

Darryl looked at him surprised. This was not at all something he expected to hear. "What?"

"You heard right," Andy smiled at him, laughter in his eyes. "All I ask is that you don't lose contact with them unless that's what you want. Stay or go. Help or not. It's up to you, but don't drop them unless you really want to."

"Aren't you worried about them getting into trouble with the law after what happened?"

"Are you?" Andy returned the question.

"I . . ."

Andy smiled. "There are others, I imagine. And I truly think they no longer need that. When I asked your help all those years ago, they were new to all this. They aren't so new anymore."

"That doesn't mean they don't need help," Darryl reminded him. He glanced toward the manor that had until that day been a death trap to anyone who ventured to close.

"As I said, there are others who can help them if needed," Andy reminded him. He pointed toward the house. "There are ten men and women in there who owe the girls their lives. Now, maybe they don't realize that. Maybe they do. Maybe one of them would step up if needed."

"What men and women?" Darryl asked, casting a confused glance at the front door of the manor.

"Ten of the members of the SWAT team who stormed this house seven years ago," Andy informed him. "Prue cast a spell that saved their lived as well as that of her sisters."

"You're saying that there are people in there, people who could expose the sisters."

Andy smiled at Darryl's obvious concern. "I'm releasing you from your promise. You don't need to worry anymore."

"It's not just a promise," Darryl informed him. "Those sisters are my friends."

"I know they didn't always treat you that way," Andy reminded him. "I played with them as a child and can't understand or condone some of what they did to you."

"What are you doing?" Darryl asked, confused. "Are you trying to make me abandon them?"

"No," Andy replied with a shake of his head. "Honestly, I don't want that at all, but I know some things that happened hurt you and I don't want those to fester any more. I want them faced and if possible gone. It that means that you have to tell them good-bye, then that is what you have to do even though that's not what I want. If that's what you need to move on, then do that. But if you can forgive them . . ."

"And you'd force me to decide that now," Darryl asked with a dubious look.

"Only to think about it," Andy assured him.

"I've already done that," Darryl informed him. "I've had seven years to do that," he added. "I've already made that decision and I've already been acting on it. That the sisters are alive only changes the fact that now I can tell them that."

Andy was stopped from speaking when the front door opened. He nodded at Darryl. "Good bye, my friend." Instead of walking away, this time he simple vanished.

In a whispered voice, Darryl replied, "Good-bye."

* * *

Seven years of dealing with the supernatural around the girls . . . yeah, of course it's not Andy. ;)

Anyway, this story is almost done. Only two more chapters, which is what freaked me out a week or so ago when I last posted a chapter. Sorry about that.


	35. Reunion

First a thank you to my reviewers:

AJ Winchester - Always, thank you. I appreciate your interest and hope you continue on to the sequels, too.

vrb18 - It's never easy to say good-bye, especially when you know it is probably the last time.

I've been trying to get the sequel's ready and they both are, so I haven't been paying attention to here.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Four - Reunion

A man in a SWAT uniform exited the manor. Seeing Darryl he walked over. While Darryl was debating about leaving, the man spoke up. "I know you. You're SFPD. Right?" He frowned, thinking. "Inspector . . . Morris, I think. Correct?"

Darryl nodded. "You are?"

"Agent Joshua Cates," was the firm, friendly reply. "You wouldn't remember me, I guess. I dated Alyse for a while."

The name was unfamiliar to Darryl even as he repeated it. "Alyse?"

"Sorry," Cates was quick to reply. "Inspector Sheridan, your partner this last year or so." He frowned. "Or was it this last year? You look different. Older, I think." He paused, inspecting Darryl, thinking about what he had seen in the last several minutes. "Rodriguez and Morales didn't look like people who only just died." There was another pause as another piece of the puzzle clicked into place for him. "I saw Lydia in there." He looked at Darryl, his brow furrowed. "How long has it been?"

"Seven years," Darryl informed him, seeing no need to keep it from him.

With raised eyebrows, Cates stated all too calmly. "And I've slept through it all. I guess Alyse was right. There is something strange about this house." Something still didn't quite add up. "But then I did see Lydia, so that's kind of a given."

"Who's Lydia?" Darryl asked, figuring that was a safe question.

"She's a whi . . ." Cates stopped and looked at Darryl. "Never mind. It's not important."

Darryl was stunned. Cates may not have finished what he was saying, but Darryl had a pretty good guess as to what he had been about to say. "Did you just start to say. . ?" He couldn't risk finishing that question. If he was wrong . . .

Cates was not so worried. A big grin grew on his face as he asked, "You know about them, don't you?"

"Know about who?" Darryl was not giving anything away until he knew for sure what this guy knew.

"Er," Cates seemed at a loss. "Well, this kid I know is . . . I guess I could say he's under Lydia's protection. She's training him or something. But I guess he's not a kid anymore, now is he. I wonder if he's got his teaching degree yet. Great kid, wants to teach elementary school. So do you know about that,?"

Darryl was silent for several seconds as he processed that. Still nothing in there said a whole lot. From what he'd learned over the years, the "kid" was probably a future whitelighter. It was possible he was a witch, but Darryl didn't think so. "I know that the "they" I am thinking about it not weird. They're just people who help other people."

Cates looked disappointed at that. "Oh. Well, then. I guess I'll see you around."

"Could be," Darryl replied, noncommittally.

Cates shrugged and headed toward the sidewalk. He was half way down the driveway when a voice broke into Darryl's thoughts.

"He seemed like a nice guy."

Startled, Darryl turned around. "Prue!"

"Hi," Prue offered him a friendly smile. "Are you coming around back? I'd stay out of inside, of course. The rest of his squad is still in there."

"Andy said . . ." Darryl began, trailing off, unsure what to say.

Prue gulped. "Yeah. Andy." Curious she asked, "Why didn't you want to talk to him? He seemed to know something about magic."

Darryl shook his head. "I don't think he really does, just vague ideas and hearsay from Sheridan. Besides, I don't know him. What if he wanted to expose you like she did?"

"Then, let him try," Prue shrugged. "I've got nothing to hide."

"Except for the fact that you were dead," Darryl retorted.

Prue laughed at that. "Except for that. He won't find anything though." She nodded her head toward the back of the house. "Come on. Follow me around back. Say "hi" to my sisters. And head on home to Sheila and the boys."

"You never met Sheila, did you?" he asked, thinking.

"No," Prue shook her head, blithely. "Are you coming?"

Darryl stared at the front door for a long time. "Is it safe?"

Prue nodded. "It's safe. The demon's gone, both the one who killed Sheridan and the one who killed all the rest." She sighed. "I'm sorry."

Darryl looked at her surprised. "For what?"

"All the innocents who died," she stated sadly. "I'm not saying there was a whole lot I could have done, but surely I could have done something. I couldn't stop the demon without killing Christy, too and most of the time I couldn't have even done that, but surely there was something."

"I did know about all the people dying here," Darryl informed her. "I tried to keep people away and most listened, but if we're going to play the 'what if' game, I imagine I could have found some additional way to stop them, but I didn't. You probably had your hands full and were doing the best you could."

Prue nodded. "Yeah, but I still feel really bad about it." She sighed. "And now I don't even have powers to use."

Darryl looked at her surprised.

"It was part of the deal," she told him. "My powers for my life. Not that I had a whole lot of use for them with the other options. You see I kind of made a giant mess of my afterlife, so they had to kick me out."

Darryl stared at her. "You got kicked out of being dead?"

"Weird isn't it," she commented with a slight laugh. "The funniest part is, I wanted to stay dead."

Darryl didn't know what to say.

She nibbled on her lip and shrugged. "What's done is done. And I certainly am not going to regret the chance to live with my sisters and my dad and everyone else. I'm just going to miss Andy."

Darryl nodded. Andy had been his partner and his friend, but he knew how she felt. Had Sheila been dead, he'd probably wish to be with her, too. It wasn't so much that he'd wish to be dead. It was more that he'd wish to be with her and with her would happen to be dead.

"So are you coming?" Prue asked, again, changing the subject.

It was the sound of the manor door that decided it for Darryl. He didn't want to talk to another member of the SWAT team. Explaining to someone that they'd been unconscious for seven years was tough enough. Explaining why they had done that on the floor of someone's home with no benefit of medical equipment was just a little hard to believe. He followed Prue on around back. At the sight of her three sisters, he smiled.

Paige met him halfway. "Hi, Darryl. It's good to see you."

Darryl smiled. "Hi, Paige."

"Welcome back," Phoebe added. "It seems like forever."

"Thanks for keeping them out," Leo offered with a smile.

Darryl looked at him surprised. "Keeping who out? The SWAT team got in."

"But not until after Zankou was gone," Leo reminded him. "And that probably saved most of them."

"But they died . . . or at least some of them died," he decided remembering Cates and the opening front door.

"More of them would have otherwise," Leo informed him. "Zankou would have seen to that. The other demon," he shrugged. "She just wanted the girls dead and to otherwise be left alone. She had no issues with killing, but she wasn't looking for someone to kill just because."

Darryl sighed.

Piper walked over to him. "The boys tell me that you helped keep an eye out for them. Thank you." She looked down at the two boys at her side.

"They're good kids," Darryl informed her. "Your dad is raising them well."

Piper hugged her arms around her sons' shoulders. "I've missed so much."

"I imagine Mike could be convinced to make some videos for you," Darryl informed her. "He is his visual arts teachers prize pupil and he like videotaping your sons."

Piper smiled. "Mike? Do you mean little Mikey?"

Darryl nodded, a proud smile on his face. "No so little anymore. He passed me up a few months ago and he's only fifteen. He insists that he's too old for a name like Mikey."

Piper hugged her boys closer. "I'll probably take you up on that."

Darryl glanced down at his watch. "I'd better get going. Sheila prefers dinner to be on time and with everyone there. I'll see if we can find a time to have you over. All three of them love Wyatt and Chris and I imagine they'd love to see you, too."

"Really?" Phoebe blinked in surprised. Sheila would have been quite glad to be rid of all three of them the last time they had met up with her. She was pretty upset about various things that had happened over the years.

Darryl nodded. "Really. I'm glad you girls are back safe and sound." Glancing at Leo he added, "You too, Leo."

"It's good to see you, too, Darryl," Leo returned.

Having assured himself that they were all alive and safe, Darryl headed back to his car and drove home.

Piper sighed. "I guess we'd better deal with our house 'guests', make sure they get out all right."

"I've already dealt with that," Lydia informed her as she exited the back door. "They'll not remember waking up her and they'll be tired enough that they'll want to go back to sleep at once. All of them are out of your house and I have got to get going." She sighed. "Apparently, I have a charge who has been demon possessed for seven years. She's not going to be as okay with all this as she appeared to be." With that she orbed out, leaving them looking at her.

Several seconds passed and Piper walked over to Sam and Dean. "Wyatt said you accepted my invitation. Do you need a ride?"

Behind her Paige frowned. She started pointing and silently counting.

Dean shook his head. "Nah. Sam left my baby just up the block. We know the way. Right, Sam?"

"Wrong," Sam corrected him without hesitation. "I don't know about _you_, but _I_ got lost trying to get to Victor's place and trying to get here from there."

"I'm counting ten heads," Paige announced. "We can't fit that in Victor's car. My head's kind of spinning right now, so I don't think I'll try orbing, but maybe Wyatt and Chris can . . ."

"We can give some people a ride," Sam announced suddenly.

"What?" Dean looked at his brother as if he had grown two heads. "You want to pack people into my baby?"

"Those boys orbed me out of danger's way," Sam informed him. "And while I certainly appreciate the help it was one of the most disorienting things I have ever experienced. I figure they'd rather not have to orb to get home."

Paige hid a smile behind her hand. "That is so sweet, unnecessary, but really sweet."

"You get used to it," Phoebe added.

"Piper snuggled next to Leo. "You certainly do."

"See they don't need a ride in my baby," Dean pointed out.

"Well, I'm not used to it," Prue pointed out. "So I'm going in one of the cars. I don't care which one."

"We'll see you at home," Wyatt announced as first he, then his brother orbed out.

"I guess that answers that," Paige commented to Phoebe with a laugh.

"Let's get going," Piper demanded. "We can't leave my babies home alone."

"I think they'll be fine, Piper," Prue tried to reassure her. "Dad's done a good job with them."

Victor smiled at the unexpected words of praise from his oldest daughter.

Dean glanced at Sam. "Are you sure you can't find the place? This is too much Brady Bunch for me."

"I can try," Sam decided.

The four sisters looked at each other and laughed as the two brothers made a break for it.

"They don't know what they're missing," Phoebe commented.

"Oh, I think they know," Paige corrected. "I think they just don't like admitting it. They are men after all."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Leo protested.

Victor just shook his head. "We're out numbered her. Just go with it."

Prue laughed and hugged her arms around the nearest two sisters as the four of them walked together toward Victor's car. Life was looking up.

* * *

Only one more chapter for this story, but the good news is, for those interested in find out what happens after that, I've got two sequels in the works. One is _Charmed_. It's called "Invisible". The other one is _Supernatural_. It's called "Best Served Cold". I will be posting the first chapters of both of those right after I post the last chapter of this story.


	36. Endings and Beginnings

First a thank you to my reviewers:

AJ Winchester - Coming up shortly. Hope you enjoy this last chapter.

foreverchrisfan - I'm glad you turned out to like this story. It was very interesting writing this. I've never written anything with Supernatural before and I've never written a crossover before. I knew from the start this was not going to be like any story I had ever read, let alone written. I was jumping a couple years ahead in a series where I am almost completely lacking in knowledge of the latest season and I was passing off an entire season of another series as a dream that the Woogie's sister forced on the sisters and Christy. I was turning a Charmed demon into a Supernatural demon and I was rewriting parts of an episode I never watched. I'm glad that though the Prue thing was weird it worked. I struggled with a lot of that part. I knew she was going to be involved. I was using this like an alternate series finale, so I knew I wanted Prue, Andy, Cole, and Darryl in it.

I wanted to end this story the way I started it, with the boys from Supernatural. They were the visitors here. San Francisco is the Halliwell's city, the battle ground the Halliwell manor, so it seemed fitting to see how the Winchesters both entered and exited their lives.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Five - Endings and Beginnings

It was late the next afternoon when Sam and Dean set out. They would have stayed longer, but two things had happened. The police had finally been contacted by the paramedics who had found the rest of the survivors and so there was an investigation into what on earth had happened. The brothers had not wanted to be involved. The second was a phone call from Bobby. He'd heard about something that seemed mighty strange. It was closer to them than it was to him, so he'd called them. He'd actually been calling them for two days and had grown fairly worried. He'd finally resorted to calling the third phone they kept on them, their dad's cell. It was this that had worked.

They'd said their goodbyes to the various Halliwells, mostly to the two boys and their grandfather. Everyone was rather stuffed into the small apartment as they dealt with rotten food in the refrigerator at the manor and turning back on all the utilities.

Phoebe had raided the manor of every pillow and most of the blankets, since Victor didn't have nearly enough to cover them. She'd insisted that no one was going to sleep on the floor without at least a blanket and a pillow . . . and then she'd gone and confiscated the couch. When Victor gave his bed up for his married daughter and her husband, siting the fact that Leo had slept on the floor for seven years, she ended up on the floor anyway. There was no way she was going to get away with letting her sixty plus year old dad sleep on the floor. Of course, neither could the two boys let him sleep on the couch. It had gone on and on for a while, but ultimately Phoebe had slept on the floor.

Prue had gone into the basement to see if there was anything among the ruble that had survived. Much of her stuff had been packed down there and she really wanted to change into something else.

Paige had spent the morning visiting with her aunt and uncle. From what they had heard when she called just before they left, she was going to be staying there for a while. She'd return at some unspecified time in the future.

Piper had spent the morning cooking for everyone. Both Winchester brothers agreed it was the best food they had eaten in a long time. After that she had snuggled next to her husband and done an amazingly poor job as a team with him against their preteen sons in several board games. When Dean and Sam had prepared to leave, she'd been going with her family to check out her club. Over the last several years, Victor had kept it open and running for the boys, never believing that he would get his daughters back, believing they were most likely dead.

Victor had left them with an invitation to visit if they ever found themselves back in San Francisco. Though they figured that was unlikely, as much as they travelled, they agreed to try and look up the family if they did.

The drove in silence for a while. When they had reached the edge of town, Sam spoke up. "You ever think we'd be working with witches instead of fighting them?"

"Are you sure they were witches?" Dean asked instead of answering. "That may call themselves that, but they sure aren't like any witches I've ever dealt with."

"Pretty sure, Dean," Sam informed him with an amused smile. "I mean what's not witchlike about them. They use spells. They brew potions."

"They disappear in twinkling lights," Dean retorted. "What witch does that?"

"To be fair," Sam returned, "they all said that wasn't a witch thing."

"Right," Dean gave him a look. "Well, how about the telekinesis or whatever it is that kid did to steal desert from me. What about that?"

"Seems we've only run into nonmagical witches," Sam replied, trying to avoid thinking of the witches they _had_ met, Ruby and the four dead housewives who practiced witchcraft introduced to them by a demon in their book club. "And had those we met been magical, they wouldn't have been witches at all, or at least some of them wouldn't have been, because they used witchcraft for evil and . . ."

"That's a load of crap," Dean interrupted.

"Yeah?" Sam returned. "Well, it happens to be true."

"Just 'cause they said so," Dean gave his brother a look of disbelief.

"Of course not," Sam denied. "I did some research and I'll do more. People like them are potential allies. I want to know how to identify them. I think it's simply that they are two separate groups with similar practices, one who derives power from within and one who derives power from an outside source, in the case of those we met, a demon, but no always, because Chris said nonmagical witches can be good or bad and I suspect he'd know."

"Well, we are done with them," Dean decided, "done with witches . . ."

"Unless we come to San Francisco, again," Sam interrupted. "I am not going to give up the chance for more of Piper's cooking. That was amazing."

"Yeah, it was, wasn't it," Dean admitted.

Seeing a street sign announcing a split in the road, Sam glanced around for a map. Not seeing one he started digging in the glove department. He pulled out a map of the area and looked over at Dean. "So did you get directions to that . . . Whoa!"

Dean slammed on the breaks just in time to avoid hitting a body in the road. They got out and ran around the car as fast as they could. Sam reached him first and was reaching down to feel for a pulse when a gasp escaped his lips. "Cas!"

"What?" Dean looked at him confused before realization hit him. "Really?" The mud soaked body in front of him bore little resemblance to the angel that had helped them off and on over the last few years. At least he saw no sign of blood. But then considering what he'd done to Castiel when they first met without anything happening, they should have really surprised him.

Sam ignored him as he checked Castiel.

Castiel moaned.

Dean gulped. "Cas, are you all right?"

"Where have you been?" Sam added as he moved away, confident that whatever was going on, Castiel was fine.

Dean must have realized this, too, because his next question was, "When are you going to stop leaving without warning us first?"

To this Sam added, "Are you going to stick around for a while?"

Castiel pushed him up and in his usual unworried tone claimed, "I'll be fine. I've been trying to find you for almost two days. What happened?"

Sam and Dean looked at each other. Neither of them had any clue where to start.

"It's a long story," Sam admitted. He straightened himself up to a standing position.

"Let's get you in the car and we'll exchange tales," Dean suggested. He fully intended to hear Castiel's story first.

Castiel had other ideas. "Mine can wait," he informed them as he climbed to his feet. "You're obviously headed somewhere."

Sam gave a little shrug at that. There was no use fighting fate. At least not today there wasn't. Tomorrow, who knew. "You know how it is. Never a day off in the life of a Hunter."

The End

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That's the end for this story, but it's not the end for this story line. As the Winchesters and the Halliwells go their seperate ways, they both have things to deal with.

Bobby has something he wants Dean and Sam to look into. And Castiel has been up to something while he was gone. Is it anything important? When the Winchester brothers arrive in the town Bobby directs them to, one of the brothers finds himself on the recieving end of an obsession that has ended the lives of several of the town's young men. Will he be next? Find out what's going on in "Best Served Cold".

The Halliwell sisters were told that the demonic world had been recovering from it's last few fights with them, but that they would be attacking again soon. Prue and Cole must both get used to being both alive again and having no powers. As long as the demons stay away Prue should have no problem with it, but when the demons attack how's she going to react to not being able to use magic to help her family or the innocents they need to protect? And Cole has already proven he has trouble living magic free, but this time he has no choice. And what of his relationship with Phoebe. What will happen now that he is back? Will that third chance she gave him do him any good? Find out what happens to them next in "Invisible".

If you want to know what happens next, be sure to check them both out.

A big thank you to vrb18, who was my first reviewer for this story on this site and continued to review through out the story. Thank you so much.

Another big thank you to AJ Winchester, who also started reviewing this story early on and has continued to review it through out. I really appreciate you.

Thank you to everyone else who has read this, whether they reviewed or not, but especially to those who review it. It's because of you and people like you that I continue to post my stories. I can't say it's because of you that I write. I write because the stories are there, but I do write faster, and sometimes better because of you, so thank you.


	37. Extra Chapter

This is an extra chapter that happens after everyone is back at Victor's apartment, but before they eat. It is dedicated to Miss Anonymous hp who gave me the idea to write it. She told me she'd been looking for more interaction between the two sets of brothers, so here you go. Enjoy.

* * *

As Dean reached the door of Victor's apartment, he looked back at his brother. Sam was still on the stairwell, breathing heavily and that worried Dean.

Not that he'd admit it.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty," Dean called down the steps as his brother stopped to rest against the wall at the top of the landing. "Nap time's over."

Sam didn't open his eyes as he returned with, "I'll wait for a different Prince Charming. Maybe a hot blonde."

"Haha, funny," Dean retorted. "We're almost there. It would be rude to be late."

"I doubt they're too concerned," Sam said as he headed down the hall toward his brother. "This is their reunion. We're only invited, 'cause we helped."

"Helped?" Dean snorted. "The way I understand it, you single handedly managed a demon the one sister hadn't managed to defeat in seven years."

Sam shrugged. "I managed."

The door to the apartment opened and Chris walked out, stopping further conversation. He held out a tray of some vegetables with some sort of dip. "Mommy made them," he informed them with a big grin. "Yummy."

Dean stared at the tray suspiciously.

"If you're gonna stand out in the hall, you might as well have some food while you're out here," Chris offered.

Dean reached out a hand and dipped a carrot in the dip. Once he'd covered if so much you couldn't see the carrot he popped it into his mouth. He eyes widened. "That's good. Thanks, kid."

Chris grinned. "I don't remember Mommy's cooking or Mommy all that much, but Grandpa always said she was the best cook ever." He looked up at them questioningly. "What about your mommy? Is she a good cook?"

Sam looked away, not wanting to think about how little he remembered his mom and what he did remember was mostly of her as a ghost or illusions.

Dean smiled, remembering his childhood before his mom had been killed by the yellow eyed demon. "Yeah, she was a good cook. I miss her," he added without thinking.

Chris easily caught onto that. "What happened?"

"She died a long time ago," Dean told him, ending any expectation that the conversation would continue.

"Oh," Chris looked at him worried. He crept closer to Sam and whispered, "Is he always like this?"

Sam chuckled.

Dean looked at them suspiciously which caused Chris to laugh.

A small hand reached around Chris and grabbed a carrot. "You sure take a long time, Chris," Wyatt told his little brother. "I want some dip." Without waiting for them to react, he smothered the carrot in dip and popped it into his mouth. "That's a good one," he said, his mouth still full. "The one on the table with the celery is better though." He looked at the Winchester brothers. "You should come in and try it."

Curious, Sam took a carrot, covered it in dip and tested it against his tongue. He smiled appreciatively as he munched on it.

"Come in," Wyatt repeated, sounding more like he was issuing a command this time.

Sam took a step forward automatically before he checked himself.

"We don't bite," Wyatt retorted. "I thought you'd have realized that by now. And you've been in the apartment before. What's the problem?"

Dean gave him a nervous chuckle. "Nothing. I just don't like being ordered around."

"That's it?" Wyatt asked, speculatively.

Dean shrugged. "How do you like it?"

That elicited a quick laugh from Wyatt. "Not much."

"Please come in," Chris requested. "It's not always good to talk in the hall. You have to watch your words too much. That's boring."

Sam chuckled and walked past the two Halliwell boys into the apartment. He could hear voices coming from other rooms, but on one was in that one. Seeing a couch he sat down, still exhausted from taking on the demon possessing Christy.

Wyatt waiting until Dean had followed him before he closed the door to the apartment. Chris was setting the snack tray on the coffee table.

"So why don't you like witches?" Wyatt asked, his back against the door.

Sam gulped.

Dean looked at him surprised. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Wyatt stared him down.

Dean stared back, their younger brothers both very silent. It was almost a minute before Dean was forced to blink and look away.

"It's not as if you have hidden the fact, so why don't you like witches?" Wyatt asked, casting his look back and forth between them.

"That's none of your damned business," Dean snapped at him.

"Maybe, maybe not," Wyatt shrugged at him. "I want to know. Witches are good. I want to understand why you think otherwise."

Dean glanced over at Sam and muttered under his breath, "How old is this kid anyway?"

Sam chuckled. "Nine, I think." He didn't bother lowering his voice.

Chris snickered. "He'll be ten in February," he offered with a grin. Then, he added, "I'm eight."

Sam's chuckle grew into a full laugh.

Wyatt scowled. "Knock it off."

Chris stuck out his tongue. "You're too serious. Mommy and Daddy are alive. We can relax a little."

"Her name was Ruby," Sam whispered once he stopped laughing.

"Huh?" Chris turned and looked at him. "Whose name was Ruby?"

Sam looked at Wyatt. "Ruby was a witch centuries ago. She most certainly wasn't good."

"Maybe she was a warlock," Chris suggested, looking up at his brother for help.

Sam shook his head. "I'd have remembered that. She was definitely as witch."

"What was her power?" Wyatt wanted to know."

Sam frowned at that. "What do you mean? She was a witch. She could . . . cast spells and stuff."

Chris grinned at his brother. "Should I?"

Wyatt chuckled. "Go for it."

Chris stared at the two of them and held out his hand. His breathing came out evenly and he just stared.

Sam recognized that look and groaned.

Dean frowned. "What is he . . ?" he stopped as he realized he couldn't move. "What on earth? What did you do to me?"

Chris dropped his hand. "Witches do more that just cast spells and 'stuff'."

Dean tested his movement and backed over to the door. "That's not witches. That's demons."

Chris shook his head and grinned.

Wyatt rolled his head. "Show's what you know. All magical witches have powers. Some like Chris and mine are active powers. Some like Aunt Phoebe's main power are passive. They are varied and different and that doesn't make them evil. Powers aren't evil. They aren't good either. They are neutral. What makes them good or evil is how you use them. Good witches use their powers for good. Evil witches and warlocks use their powers for evil."

"So you admit that witches can be evil?" Dean asked with satisfaction.

Wyatt shrugged. "Most are either good witches or warlocks, but yes, some can be evil witches. They are the ones that don't kill other witches. Usually they don't kill anyone, though I've heard of some that do. Usually you are either fully on one side or the other. I don't think your Ruby was either of those things though."

"You can't know that," Dean protested. "Ruby said she was a witch."

"There's another option," Chris suggested. "Maybe your Ruby . . ."

"She's not my Ruby," Sam protested not liking hearing those words used to describe Ruby."

Chris shrugged. "The point is that maybe she's a nonmagical witch."

Both Winchester brothers stared at Chris blankly.

"A witch practitioner rather than a magical witch," Chris tried to explain. "They can still cast spells and create potions and good or bad they are witches since unlike warlocks they remain human when evil."

Dean frowned. "A what?" He shook his head. "That's crazy. Witches are witches. They either are or they aren't. I concede that there are some of you that aren't bad, but you can't tell me that those are normal and that there are different types of witches. Magical, nonmagical. That's . . . that's just a phrase to describe the supernatural things that you don't understand."

Chris bit his lip to keep from laughing.

Wyatt shook his head. "Maybe you're saying that because _you_ don't understand magic. Nonmagical witches are witches who do not have powers of their own. Grams told us about her coven. She was the only magical witch in it, but three members of her coven cast a spell when Mom and her sisters where still learning their magic that summoned a demon and ultimately got them killed."

"That doesn't mean she's right," Dean protested.

The two Halliwell brothers looked at him. "Which one of us is a witch?" Wyatt asked.

Chris snickered at that.

"Well, you are," Dean admitted.

"You're digging a hole," Sam teased his brother.

"And which one of us should know more about witches?" Wyatt pushed.

Dean clamped his mouth closed.

Sam joined Chris in laughing.

Chris turned to Sam and in a loud whisper he said, "Older brothers think they know so much, don't they."

Sam opened his mouth to answer as Piper entered the room.

Piper smiled as she saw the four. "Oh, good. You two arrived," she commented as she headed over to her boys. She reached them and leaned down to give them each a kiss.

Wyatt tried to look cool about it, but he looked more pleased.

Chris giggled and reached up his arms to hug his mom.

"Dinner's ready," Piper told them as she straightened up. "Wash up, boys, and come in."

The two Halliwell brothers jumped to do what she said and hurried out of the room.

Piper turned to Dean and Sam with a smile. "Thank you for your help. How are you feeling?" she asked, focusing on Sam. "It must have taken a lot out of you."

Sam smiled. "I'm doing fine. Glad I could help."

"Well, wash up and come eat with us," Piper directed. "The table's through there." Without waiting for a response, she headed in the direction of the table.

"What are we, four?" Dean complained. "We don't need to be told to wash up."

"Let's just do it," Sam suggested. "Our hostess is probably dealing with the fact that her babies aren't babies any more. And we're getting free food. I think we can overlook a little bossiness."

Dean grumbled, but he headed off in the direction the two boys had.

Sam sighed and got up from the couch. He walked slowly across the room after his brother. All he wanted to do was to collapse on a bed somewhere and sleep for a week, but that would have to wait. He didn't want to show how weak he was feeling. He was just going to have to stay up and pretend a little longer.

* * *

More ideas are buzzing in my head for another extra chapter, but as I have so many other things planned, don't expect one any time soon. Hope you enjoyed this little bit more.


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